Recently in Home & Garden & Office Category

A community book sale in Granada Hills this Sunday, Jan. 18, offers some 1,400 used books. Paperbacks are $.50, hardcovers are $1 and a limited number of coffee table/art books are up to $5. The sale is from 12-3 pm.

St. Andrew and St. Charles Episcopal Church is holding the sale. The books are collected and donated by parishioners and proceeds benefit the church.

Books are roughly sorted by type, including fiction, non-fiction, biography, autobiography, history, children's, mystery, classics, poetry, self-help, cooking, and more. There will be free coffee and cookies, a church volunteer tells me.

Visit the church at 16651 Rinaldi St. in Granada Hills between Havenhurst and Balboa.

I'm told you can get a free photobook at Hoorray when you enter code bzzalbum at checkout. I have not tried this myself, however, so please let me know if the code does or does not work for you.

Start the process of uploading your photos and laying out your free photo book here. Code expires Jan. 20, 2009.

Reader Gillian writes in with a tip for finding coupons for smog checks in California. Go to SmogTips.com and search by zip code or city for a list of local smog stations. A link to each station shows the address, phone number, a map, and what coupons are available.

Smog Tips also has information about getting $1,000 for a car that does not pass a smog test.

My only contention with the site is that it is unclear how they decide which shops to list. The site says "SmogTips Certified stations are continuously screened for quality work, excellent service and the highest level of integrity. You'll be pleased to know our stations have passed a stringent background investigation and must conform to guidelines set by the State of California before they are eligible of receiving the SmogTips™ Seal of Approval."

So do stations pay to get listed or not? I'm going to put a call in to ask. On the other hand, if you can use the site to find a coupon and get a low price for your next smog check, I'm all for it. Thanks, Gillian!

If you can get a car loan it is a great time to buy because struggling dealerships are slashing prices, according to a story in today's LA Daily News. Loan approvals have dropped from about 80 percent to about 50 percent.

"If you have (credit score of) 700 and above, you don't have a problem getting a loan," the story says..."But anyone with a credit score of 650 or lower may be having trouble getting approval.

"In cash terms, a credit score of 720 to 850 could get you a car loan at about 6.7 percent, which means you'd pay about $768 a month on a three-year $25,000 loan, according to Myfico.com, a Web site operated by Minneapolis-based Fair Isaac Inc. The median credit score in the U.S. is just barely in that top financing bracket at 723.

"By comparison, a score of 620-659 qualifies you for a loan at 12 percent, which increases your payments on the same loan by $63 to $831."

Read the full story here.

A&M Book Cellars is having their semi-annual half-price book sale Sunday, Jan. 11 through Saturday, Jan. 17. All the books in the store - except the $.25 bargain room - are half price, including audio books. Sale pricing makes brand new paperbacks that sell for $5 just $2.50.

The only wrinkle is that during the sale customers using their store credit (A&M accepts trade-ins) pay the regular price, not the sale price, says owner Alice.

"The amount of credit we give is based on the idea that we are going to sell the book at full price," Alice said. Seems fair enough. Customers can, however, bring in books during sale to trade-in and use the credit after the sale.

A&M gives credit on a sliding scale based on how well they think the books will sell. Typical rates are $.05 for a book that will sell in the bargain room and up to 30 percent of the cover price for hot sellers.

Hours during the sale are Sunday 1-6 pm and Monday through Saturday 10-7. Sunday, Jan. 18 the store is closed so the staff can recover.

Visit them at 19801 Vanowen Street, Unit F. The store is at the back of a small strip mall just west of Marshalls and Vallarta. They accept cash, checks, credit cards and debit cards. Call (818) 716-6259 with questions.

Thanks to reader Lori who sent me this tip! Thanks to Alice and Marty for details!

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.

Galpin Ford is selling a number of Mustang GT coupe's for $18,995 - which is about $9,156 less than the MSRP of $28,160. Here is the car on Kelly Blue Book.

Galpin got 40 of the cars from a distressed seller, says a PR rep who declined to disclose further details. Were these bought from a dealer going out of business? She could not say.

Galpin has 9 of the cars left. To find out more about these cars call 888-832-7811 and ask for Terry Miller. Or visit Galpin Ford at 15505 Roscoe Blvd. in North Hills right off the 405 Roscoe exit.

With all the rain and winter weather you may be getting, a lot of pests are probably trying to make your shelter their shelter. Not good.

My colleague recently shared an ant tip that she got directly from the pest control guy she called the last time ants invaded her freezer, of all places. Poor buggers froze stiff before they could make off with a crumb.

Anyway, the pest control guy must be a real cheapskate because he told her that the next time the ants made a foray into her icebox she should use Windex with ammonia to scare them away. Try it - it's a lot cheaper than calling pest control.

Thanks, Audrey!

Just heard this or I would have included it in the daily digest. There are new markdowns at the Linens -n- Things liquidation sale ONLINE.

Look for discounts up to 30 or 40% off on certain items, like curtains, furniture, home decorations and more.

Remember to compare prices to rival Bed, Bath and Beyond. All sales are final at the LNT sale.

Get $5 off a $20 purchase at Walgreens Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15, 2008. Some exclusions. Print the coupon here. One per customer.

Caveats: excludes alcohol, postage stamps, tobacco, prescriptions, prescription copays, gift cards, pre-paid cards, transportation passes, charitable contributions, prescription Savings Club membership and items prohibited by law. Purchase amount of $20 or more must be before taxes and after all manufacturer and Walgreens coupons and discounts. Limit 1 Walgreens Holiday Dollars Coupon redeemed per transaction.

Find a Walgreens near you.

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.

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!

If you don't already recycle - and you know who you are - here is one good reason you should start today. Recycling helps the economy.

For every 10,000 tons of waste we generate, 36 jobs are created to recycle the mess, according to RecycleBank, a company that pays residents in 13 states for their recyclables. (I blogged about them once before.) The same amount of trash creates just one job if it is burned and 6 jobs if it is tossed into a landfill.

RecycleBank provides these nifty facts:

+ A lot of what you throw away could be recycled, about 75% actually.

+ According to a 2007 Harris Poll, about 25% of Americans do not recycle at all at home. 62-and-over adults are leading the pack.

+ Our current recycling rate saves 5 billion gallons of gasoline, which reduced our dependence on foreign oil by 114 million barrels. How much less gasoline we would need if we recycled more?

+ Buying used goods and items made from recycled products is another way to...

Get 40% off one regular priced item at Michaels now through November 8, 2008. Print the coupon here.

One coupon per customer. Copies are not accepted. The store is currently having a major sale on fall and Halloween goods with prices up to 70% off.

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.

Get 15% off your total purchase at Jo-Ann fabrics with a coupon that is good Friday, November 7 through Sunday, November 9, 2008. Print the coupon here.

The discount is good on regular and sale-priced merchandise. If you make quilts (which is soooo much more difficult that it appears) or make your own clothing, this could be a good time to stock up.

Caveats: excludes gift cards, sewing machines and sewing machine dept merchandise, past purchases, cricut machines and cartridges.

Find a Jo-Ann Fabric store near you.

Thanks, Lynda!

Keep your eyes peeled for a few upcoming store closings in the Office Depot chain, suggests a recent story from the Miami Herald.

Sales at Office Depot stores that have been open at least one year are down 14 percent in North America and the company's stock has dropped almost 90% in the past year, the story says.

"Office Depot also told Wall Street that it intends to conduct a business review during the fourth quarter, which will include looking at everything from closing stores to getting out of unprofitable business units or countries," the story says.

The chain has a lot of stores in California and Florida, two of the states hit hardest by the housing downtown. There's no saying which Office Depot stores will close, if any, but be on the look out for slowing inventory and super sales.

Find an Office Depot near you.

Get 40% off the list price of any one book at Borders when you spend at least $20. The coupon is good today through Sunday, November 2, 2008. Use coupon code SAY5421X online or in store print the coupon here. One per customer.

Caveats: gotta join their free membership program to use the coupon. No rain checks, special orders, or reservations. Excludes previous purchases, non-stock special orders, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, and shipping. May not be combined with sale pricing, other coupons, or corporate, classroom, or other group discounts. Original coupon must be relinquished at time of purchase. Void if copied.

Find a Borders near you.

This deal at Staples requires you to jump through a few hoops but may be worth it if you are replacing a camera, printer, GPS system or other small electronic item.

Now until November 15, 2008, you can get a $30 Staples Rewards card (which is like a gift card, you can spend it on any item at Staples) when you purchase a qualifying tech item and recycle a similar item.

For instance, if you bought a Kodak digital camera priced at $139 or more and recycled any digital camera, you would get the $30 card. Here is the list of eligible purchases and trade-ins.

See your local store for details and to confirm they are participating.

Caveats: You don't get the $30 card until January, 2009. The Brother labeler model 1880 is excluded. You must join the free Staples Rewards program to get the discount. You have until the last day of the calendar quarter to redeem your issued rewards. Read more about how Staples Rewards works.

VistaPrint is celebrating Friday by offering 12 office supply freebies, today only. You pay for shipping, handling, upgrades and photo/logo uploads.

The free orders include premium business cards (250), standard postcards (100), a free T-shirt (1), small magnets (25), holiday cards (10), a pen (1), letterhead (10), a rubber stamp (1), a car door magnet (1), return address labels (140), sticky notes (1), and note cards (1).

Caveats: discounts valid only on lowest quantity of each product. Free offers are not valid on any more than 10 items per order.

VistaPrint prints their logo on the back of the free business cards, so yes, others will know you are a cheapskate. I'm not sure if they do this for their other products as well. You can pay an upgrade to have it removed. If you can tolerate their logo, this deal is a cheap way to acquire promotional materials for your business or project.

Also see their free trial offers page.

Get $5 off a purchase of $20 or more at Walgreens today and Saturday, October 25, 2008 only. Print the coupon here. To use this coupon, your total must be above $20 after you use other coupons. Tax does not count towards the $20.

Online use code SAVEMORE. Not sure if it is case sensitive. Each customer can use the online coupon up to five times.

Caveats: cannot be used toward purchase of alcohol, stamps, tobacco, prescriptions, prescription co-pays, gift cards, pre-paid cards, transportation passes, and charitable contributions. No cash value.

Find a Walgreens near you.

Get $10 off a $100 purchase at Home Depot online now until November 1, 2008. Use code FALLSAVE1 when checking out. I'm not sure if the code is case sensitive.

Unfortuantely, there are many exclusions.

Caveats: cannot be combined with any other discount, offer, promotion or special incentive program and is not valid on: (a) labor or Self-Furnish and Install ("SF&I") and Furnish and Install ("F&I") program products, including without limitation roofing, windows, siding, HVAC products, custom closets, storage solutions, installed sheds or structures; (b) the purchase of gift cards or certificates; (c) prior purchases; or (d) Consumer Electronics (including, but not limited to, televisions, DVD players, speakers, home theaters, cellular phones, etc.), John Deere, Cub Cadet, Little Giant Ladder Systems®, Thermador® in select markets, Gaggenau®, Miele®, Dacor®, Viking®, Fisher&Paykel®, Sharp Insight™, Delonghi®, Casablanca®, Hunter Prestige®, Buckhaven, Weber, Lynx, Alfresco, OCI, Marvel, Bertazzoni, Aga, and Vent A Hood products and trade styles. Enter promotion code at checkout to receive your discount. The discount will be reflected at checkout for the products qualifying for the promotion. Offer not valid for payment on any The Home Depot credit account.

Here's a great tip from Laura Rowley, a personal finance expert who I interviewed last week. She says many clothes with "dry clean only" tags can actually be washed on the delicate cycle or by hand.

"Don't get scared by 'dry clean only' -- wool, cashmere, silk, rayon, polyester and spandex can all be laundered," says Lindsey Wieber, co-founder of The Laundress, a collection of specialty fabric care products. "Manufacturers will always put the label on because it protects them if for some reason you wash and shrink it."

Laura recommends you "lay wool and cashmere flat to dry; everything else, including cotton and linen, can be thrown in the dryer on a low-heat setting, then pressed. (Time starved? Send the garments out to be pressed -- it's still cheaper than dry-cleaning.)

"As for suits, hang them immediately and air out after wearing; dry clean just two to four times a season. It's actually better to spot clean stains with a lint-free cloth. "Dry cleaning can set in stains further, and does not remove odor from a suit," Wieber says. (For even greater savings, skip the dryer and use a laundry line; it saves an average of $100 a year, according to laundrylist.org.)"

Get $100 from Rent.com when you use their site to find a new apartment. Just look through their listings, tell the landlord you found the listing on Rent.com and then tell Rent.com you have a new apartment.

To search their listings you have to give them your e-mail address so they can send you e-mails about apartments that fit your criteria. Nothing is totally free, after all. But you can always unsubscribe later.

They seem to have many listings in big apartment buildings with amenities so if you are looking for a humble abode it may not work for you.

Rent.com has listings in most major rental markets but not all.

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!

Senior citizens are eligible for a lot of discounts that the rest of us can only look forward to. Here are two good ones.

Folks 55 and older can get 10 to 20% off at Goodwill locations across the country. Check ahead of time at your local store because the discount may only be valid certain days of the week. You can also call (800) 741-0186 for store information.

Greyhound bus lines give 5% off unrestricted fares to folks 62 and older. Some destinations offer 10% if you purchase your ticket online. Their toll free number is 800-229-9424.

For more age-based discounts visit Senior Discounts. The site has three levels of membership, free and two paid memberships that offer greater access to deals. I'm counting the days!

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.

You can now get details on a home sale just one day after closing on Realtor.com, according to a story on MarketWatch.com. Within 24 hours of a sale's closing, anybody with a computer can look at the sale price, property details, photos, and who the buyer's agent was.

The story says you can now do this for SoCal sales, implying they already provide this data for other markets. Check the site to see how much data they have for your neighborhood.

Consider the new search tool a way to conduct your own appraisal of your home, a neighbor's home, or homes in a neighborhood you are interested in moving to.

To find the recent sales data, go to Realtor.com, click on "Find Home Values," click on the state or region you are interested in, then zoom in really far until you see tiny red and green pinpoints. Each pinpoint has the data on one home. I had to zoom in about 5 times until they popped up.

The site also lets you sort the results for that neighborhood by sale price, sale date, number of bedrooms, bathrooms or square feet. You can also filter out certain homes for a more detailed search of their records.

The discount tool store Harbor Freight is having a parking lot sale at many of its locations starting today through Sunday, October 5, 2008. Some sale prices may be good through Wednesday, October 8 so read the fine print.

With coupons you can print on this page, sale prices include scissors for $.97, a four-piece paint brush set for $.89, and an electronic bug swatter than I'm totally coveting for $2.49. Zzzzt. Zzzzzt.

Lots of other tools on sale. Find a Harbor Freight near you. The company has stores in many states.

You can read the survey's about how bad the economy is or just look at how many retailers and restaurants are sending out coupons. Discounts that were few and far between are becoming weekly. Here are a few good ones:

Discounts at Marie Callender's, from 20% off your total bill to a free entree when you buy one entree and two drinks.

Get $5 off a $20 purchase at Walgreens Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4, 2008 only. Some exclusions.

REI"s fall sale begins today, October 3, 2008. Runs through October 13, 2008.

But don't let the sale signs and coupons faze you. Focus on the actual price you are going to pay and ask yourself if it is really a good price. Could you get this item somewhere else for less without sacrificing quallity? Could you forgo the purchase?

If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, I suggest joining the Home Depot Garden Club. It's free and may save you money if you can tolerate getting an e-mail about once a week from them. (I only open them if the subject mentions a coupon or deal.)

The e-mail they sent last week had a buy one get one free coupon for bulbs. (If the link doesn't work it's because you need to join to access the coupons.) I bought two packs of tulips, priced at $7 each, so in the end I got 28 bulbs for $7 plus tax. I also bought a pack of four compact florescent light bulbs for less than $6.

Consider joining, it may payoff for you!

BookMooch.com is a Web site that facilitates the (nearly) free trading of books between readers, similar to PaperBackSwap.com, which I blogged about recently.

You type in the books you want to give away, then you put in requests for the books you want. Meanwhile, you receive requests from other members. Joining is free. You only pay the mailing cost to send books out.

For every book you list you receive a tenth-of-a-point. Each time you give away one book you get a whole point, or three points if you mail it abroad. Receiving a books costs 1 point, or 2 points if it was sent from abroad.

To keep receiving books, you need to give away at least one book for every three you receive. Read more about how the points system works.

Browse books by topic, language or location on this page. My Dad uses the site and has been happy with it. Thanks, Dad!

The latest issue of Real Simple makes a big promise - re-do the look of your home for free. Free! I hope this isn't some empty promise like those made by politicians. Here are some of their best tips so you can decide for yourself.

+ Use a quilt to make a colorful headboard. Just drape it over the plain headboard.

+ Conceal power cords and wires by propping up art work along the wall. Layer two or three frames to really make them standout.

+ Tie ribbons to dresser handles to give the dresser a fancy.

+ Cover shoe boxes and other cardboard containers with wrapping paper, transforming them into pretty storage boxes.

+ Stash toiletries in mis-matched dishes, bowls, and cups from your cupboard that you never use but can't get rid of. Place on a tray for a neat look.

+ Turn extra vases into an herb garden. Place a layer of small rocks or pebbles at the bottom of the vase for drainage, then plant a small herb in dirt. Watch the roots grow or wrap the vase in paper and tie with twine for a neat look. Label each plant.

These tips fall short of a true makeover, but they are simple, cheap ways you can create a new look at home.

Get $5 off a $20 purchase at Walgreens Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27, 2008 only. Some caveats. Print the coupon here.

Your bill must be $20 after coupons or discounts but not including taxes. If your tab is just over $20 and that's a 25% discount. One per customer.

Caveats: not valid on alcohol, postage stamps, tobacco, prescriptions, prescription copays, gift cards, pre-paid cards, transportation passes, charitable contributions and items prohibited by law.

Find a Walgreens near you.

Not sure how to recycle something but want to save the earth? Here are tips from the October issue of Real Simple magazine to help you do just that. This post covers the latter part of the alphabet. To read the first part of this story click here.

Items that you can't recycle are listed at the bottom.

Paint - check www.earth911.org to find a paint recycling center near you.

Pizza boxes - If you rip out the spots where grease has soaked into the box you can recycle the rest. The grease can ruin the recycled paper if it begins to decompose.

Printer ink cartridges - the story compares them to gas tanks. They don't break, they just run out of ink. Unfortunately, when you throw them out they take 450 years to decompose. Find an office store that offers a discount for refills of used cartridges.

Recreational equipment - Stuff that can be used can go to Goodwill or Salvation Army. You can also donate it to Sports Gift, which gives gently used sports gear to needy kids.

Sneakers - drop them off at...

Fall officially started Monday and already I'm seeing ads for flu shot clinics. Here's a roundup of who offers what and at what price. Note, most places do not offer the shot everyday so check ahead exactly when you can get one.

Costco charges $20 for the flu shot and also offers a $35 pneumonia shot. If you have the Medicare Part B card and no HMO insurance, Costco will bill Medicare for you and you will not have a co-pay. You do not have to have a Costco card to use the pharmacy, AND THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR FLU SHOTS. Heard it straight from the horse's mouth.

Get a $30 shot at Safeway/Vons/Pavillions and get a 10% off coupon for a grocery purchase within 7 days. Find one offering flu shots near you. For the hours the clinic is open at the store near you, click on the link flu shot underneath each store location. They accept Medicare Part B.

Longs Drug's has the flu shot for $30 or $45 for the pneumonia vaccine. Info and locations on this page.

CVS charges $30. Find a clinic...

This deal has a lot of caveats and rules, but it could save you as much as 50%. Here's what you have to do.

Log in to Walgreens' photo site. Submit an online photo mail order for $20 or more, not including shipping and taxes. Submit the order by September 30, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. CT and pay for the order using PayPal. You must have a confirmed U.S. PayPal account in good standing to be eligible.

Look for a $10 credit to your PayPal account three to four weeks after the promotion ends on September 30. It's a long time to wait but free money is hard to come by.

Caveats: Offer excludes custom framing service and W Photo Gift Cards. Maximum credit is $10. May end sooner than September 30, 2008. A few PayPal transactions are excluded. Read the details here.

The last time I wrote about hybrids it was to skewer the Toyota Prius, which, by my calculations, took 11 years to pay off if you drove $12,000 miles a year and paid $5 a gallon for gasoline on average.

But a story in the October issue of Consumer Reports says the Prius and a handful of other hybrids actually pay off in one year. I'm scandalized! And happy.

"Six of the 12 hybrids we looked at can save you from about $500 to $4,250, even without tax credits, and pay back their price premium after only one year," the story says.

CR calculated the five year cost of owning these vehicles (price plus five-year fuel cost) and compared them to similar non-hybrids.

The six vehicles that payoff in one year include the Prius, hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu and Chevrolet Tahoe, the Ford Escape, Toyota Camry and Saturn Vue, above. With federal tax credits the Honda Civic, Nissan Altima and Saturn Aura hybrids also break even after one year.

The Web site doesn't have the nifty chart that the magazine does, so if you want full details you'll have to pick up a copy. The accompanying story, however, seems to be free online. Read the full story here. (Normally, accessing articles on Consumer Reports requires a paid membership.)

It's not a great time to sell your home but if you are putting property on the market, cut your losses by negotiating a lower fee with your real estate agent. Some 71% of people who asked for a lower fee were successful, according to a Consumer Reports survey of 11,121 people.

Agents typically take 5% to 6% of the sale price, which is huge! Talk agents down using tips from this MSN Real Estate story. Start by interviewing several agents. "Tell them how much you are expecting to make from the sale of the house and ask if they will lower their commission to the percentage you want," the story says.

"No one gets upset with you for asking," says Kasy Gott, a certified financial planner with Kochis Fitz, a San Francisco financial planning firm.

"If you're turned down, simply thank the agent for their report and let them know you'll be putting your home on the market with someone else in the next couple weeks. It might be enough to sway them."

Another option is to go with a realty company that charges reduced fees, like RedFin.com or ZipRealty.com. Note, RedFin operates in eight metro areas across the county, including Los Angeles.

Or use flat-fee sites like Help-U-Sell Real Estate or ForSaleByOwner.com.

A reader e-mailed me a looooong time ago asking for recommendations for a place where she could sell her gold jewelry for a good price. I finally came across a good answer in the November issue of Shop Smart magazine.

First take the jewelry you are thinking of selling to a reputable appraiser. Get the karat of your pieces and ask for the weight in pennyweights or troy ounces.

Then use a calculator at the Dendritics Gemscales Museum to determine the value based on current gold prices. Prices fluctuate often so check them right before you go in to sell. Try to get 85 percent of that value when you go in to sell.

Expect to visit more than one jeweler to negotiate a good price. A good trick is to mention what one jeweler offered and ask another jeweler to beat that price.

The DWP plans to leave two money saving compact fluorescent light bulbs on the doorstep of every Angeleno over six months to persuade residents to use the pricey bulbs, according to a story in today's Daily News.

"Although utilities and environmentalists have touted the benefits of CFLs - which use 66 percent less power than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer - residents have been slow to change," the story says.

It will cost the city $5 million to purchase and distribute the bulbs, but they estimate the DWP will save $84 million over five years, which is about how long CFLs last. If residents plug in the bulbs they will use less energy, which means the DWP does not have to buy as much electricity.

Now what's the chance the city will pass these savings onto tax payers?

Walk into Melange Apothecary in Sherman Oaks and you are suddenly surrounded by beautifully wrapped packages of fragrances stacked as neat as can be.

There are lotions, candles, bath soaps, and, along the back wall, a perfume laboratory that recalls Chemistry 101 at its most feminine. The small shop has dark wood floors and is painted a few shades greener than Tiffany blue. White shelves let the merchandise speak for itself.

Many of Melange's products are made by artisans and/or imported from Europe, so prices are higher than, say, Bath and Body Works, but basic hygiene is not why shoppers come to Melange.

"I'm all about little luxuries," the owner, Denise Estrada, said when I stopped by recently.

Her fragrant delicacies become a bit more affordable during a sale that starts Saturday, September 6 at 10 am. Go tomorrow and expect mimosas and bagels alongside discounts of 40 to 60% off.

Certain summer fragrances are...

Paper, plastic, glass. Recycling those are easy. But some of the other stuff - carpeting, batteries, gadgets - gets tricky. Lucky for us the September issue of Real Simple has tips on how to recycle almost anything. The best tips are below.

Backpacks - donate to the American Birding Association, which gives the backpacks to scientists in the field.

Batteries - RadioShack and Office Depot accept rechargeable ones. Places that sell car batteries will usually dispose of your old one.

Carpeting (nylon fiber) - Visit CarpetRecovery.org to find a reclamation site near you. The manufacturer you bought it from may also have a recycling program.

Crayons - The National Crayon Recycle Program will take care of them. Just remember to leave the wrappers on. It's hard to tell which color is which without them.

Crocs - The manufacturer recycles the shoes into new ones and donates them poor families. Mail them to Crocs Recycling West, 3375 Enterprise Ave, Bloomington CA 92316.

Formal wear - Here are two options, aside from Goodwill and Salvation Army, where you can drop off that fancy dress you'll never wear again. OperationFairyDust.org and CatherinesCloset.org.

Hangars (wire) - remove the paper or cardboard and you can...

A post last week about the used book store A&M Book Cellars spurred a lot of discussion, including a tip from one reader about a Web site that facilitates the swapping of paperbacks. It's called PaperBackSwap.com.

"You list the books you want to swap," a reader named Tara e-mailed me. "In return for sending off books, (and for posting your first 10 books), you get credits to request books to be sent to you. All you pay is postage (avg $2.20/book) when sending a book, nothing to receive a book. The mailing info prints from your computer and you can wrap the book for shipping with two pieces of paper."

Got more questions? Check out this quick tutorial on how the site works. When searching for a book you can specify if you want a paperback, hardback, audio cassette, audio CD, or large print.

Registration requires you to share an email, set up a password, share your address and phone number. You must be 18 to join. Membership is free, though it may go up at some point to $10 or $20 a year.

After joining you have to list 10 books to get started and request books from other members. Thanks, Tara!

RealMemories.com is a site where you can upload digital photos to be framed. The main perk of the site is getting to see how the picture looks with the frame and mat of your choice before buying it. There are dozens of frames (starting at $19) and photo sizes you can choose from. Mats ($4.50 per photo) come in only three colors, white, cream and sand. You can add a caption for $4.50.

The site lets you alter your photo. You can see any picture in color, sepia toned, or black and white. You can crop the photo, change the contrast and reduce/increase the brightness. You can also save as many as 50 photos on the site and send framed pics to multiple addresses.

On the FAQs page under quality it says their frames are made of wood. Hardwood? Plywood? Particle board? Details are lacking.

I uploaded an old shot from my honeymoon, chose a basic frame, 5" x 7" print size, and basic mat and the total came to $42. Hmmm...me thinks I could do this a lot cheaper at Aaron Brothers, especially if I had a coupon. But for some, framing a photo online may be easier than visiting a store.

I got the sweetest email from a reader last night. Gillian writes: "Hi Julia, I adore your column as I'm always in search of bargains. I wanted to pass on a little miracle which was given to me and could possibly benefit a lot of people.

"Last week the right front hub cap of my 2000 Toyota Corolla was either stolen or fell off due to questionable driving on my part. A friend of mine told me not to go to the dealership and directed me to Mike at Culver City Hub Caps and Wheels, 4228 South Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City 90230. Phone (310)559-1200. I went and discovered a treasure trove!

"He has hub caps galore, new and used in pristine condition hanging all over the store. He immediately found one for my car, put in on, cleaned my others and I was out the door in ten minutes. He charged me a grand total of $25.00 instead of the $120 I would have been charged by Miller Toyota (I checked). Please pass the info on as he's such a lovely man and I would like to return the favor.

"Many thanks,
Gillian"

I did a quick check online for Toyota Corolla hubcaps and Mike does seem to have good prices. For folks outside of LA, you can find similar hubcap prices on Hubcaps.org.

I found slightly higher prices on Hubcap Haven.com and HubcapZone.com

Prices were slightly cheaper on HubcapMike.com. Wonder if it's the same Mike? Wouldn't that be funny!

Get $10 off a $40 purchase at Walgreens Friday, August 29 and Saturday August 30 only. Print the coupon here. One per customer.

The closer your purchase total comes to $40 without going under, the higher percent off you get (max 20%). Items must come to $40 before taxes to count.

Caveats: excludes prescriptions, prescription co-pays, tobacco, alcohol, gift cards, and pre-paid cards. Find a Walgreens near you.

Get 30% off one regular priced item at Borders now until Monday, September 1. Gotta be part of their free membership program, which you can join only in stores. Not good on sale merchandise. Print the coupon here. One per customer.

Caveats: cannot be combined with any other offer, including but not limited to "3 for 2," "Buy 4, Get 5th Free" or "Buy 1, Get 1 Half Price" offers. Excludes previous purchases, non-stock special orders, gift cards, newspapers, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, digital downloads, self-publishing programs, Rosetta Stone® software, shipping, and all electronics, including the Sony® Reader and the ZuneTM.

Find a Border's near you.

A reader recommended I check out A&M Book Cellars in Canoga Park for jaw-dropping prices on paperbacks. I would be bowed over by the store, he promised.

I was - and I wasn't. A&M is one of those stores where homemade signs point customers to the door that still works. The merchandise is not perfectly organized and the floors are a little dusty.

But the prices are remarkable. A hardback of "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen (a fabulous book once it gets started) in gift-worthy condition was $5. Paperbacks copies of Tom Clancy, Mary Higgins Clark, Catherine Coulter and Patricia Cornwell books were half their cover price ($3+) and in good, but not perfect, condition.

The store had sections for romance, legal thriller, science fiction, western, and young readers. The top shelf in many of those sections are $1. Books not marked are half their cover price.

In the bargain room books are a quarter each, five for a dollar, or 15 for $2. The titles are not entirely obscure, as I suspected they would be, but their condition suffers more than the rest of the store. In the bargain room I saw "The Firm" by John Grisham, a hard back copy of Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities" and "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

A&M has been around for 24 years and one employee claims it is the last independent paperback bookstore in the Valley. Even if that's not true, the store is...

The Crate & Barrel upholstery sale starts August 29 and goes through October 5. During the sale custom upholstery is 25% off with some 2,000 fabrics and leathers to choose from. The store has more than 150 frames and furniture styles.

Before the discount, the Javier Ottoman with grown up blossoms in red, creme and yellow on a dark chocolate background is $500.

Caveats: sale does not include stock or stock plus. In select stores only. To find a participating store call 800-323-5461 or click here. In LA stores with furniture include Beverly Hills and The Grove.

Right now the store has free shipping when you buy bedding online, over the phone or through the catalog. The deal includes sheet sets, quilts, duvet inserts, pillows and mattress pads but does not include decorative accent pillows, throws, mattresses, foundations or Outlet items. Ends September 30 at noon CT. Excludes all bedding sold in Crate and Barrel outlet stores and online outlet.

Perchance you have some summer vacation photos to develop? Get 10-cent prints at Walgreens now until August 30, 2008 when you order 50 or more 4 x 6 inch prints online.

Use code GETFIFTY. Normally prints are 19 cents each when you order less than 99 and 15 cents when you order 100 or more.

Caveats: valid for up to five uses per account, does not apply toward taxes or shipping charges. Not valid in stores.

Find a Walgreens near you.

Late breaking deal! Get $5 off a $20 purchase at Walgreens this Friday, August 22 and Saturday, August 23 only. In stores only. Print the coupon here.

Keep school supplies in mind if you use the coupon. Good on photos, too.

Caveats: excludes alcohol, tobacco, prescriptions, prescription copays, gift cards, pre-paid cards and items prohibited by law. Limit one coupon per customer per offer. Taxes do not count towards $20.

Click here to see the in store coupons available on the Walgreens Web site. Find a Walgreens near you.

Starting Sunday, Staples has some freebie back to school items. At the store near me the offer includes a free 8-pack of No. 2 pencils and a free 12 inch plastic ruler. This particular deal is valid Sunday, August 17 through Saturday, August 23.

The offer for the week ending Saturday, August 16 includes a free four ounce bottle of Elmer's glue.

To find if the Staples near you has this deal (or other freebies), go to the Staples Web site, then click "Weekly Ad" to see the current week's deals. Enter your zip code and click on "Sneak Peek" for upcoming deals.

My local Staples also has plastic binders are a quarter, plastic report covers are 20 cents each and assorted pencil boxes are 50 cents each.

I'm told the stores are collecting school supplies for needy kids in a bin as part of the Do Something movement. Just something to keep in mind. Find a Staples near you. Thanks, Karin!

Vista Print offers free business cards, lawn signs, letterhead, return address labels, car magnets and a few other office supply items. The catch is that it is a 24 hour sale that sale ends today. You pay for shipping and processing, upgrades, and photo/logo uploads.

*So the whole thing may end up being cheap, but not entirely free. See all the "free" offers here or look below for individual deals.

Shipping on one pad of stickies with my name was $3.91 for 21 days with quicker, more expensive options.

Caveats: Discounts valid only on lowest quantity of each product. Discounts not valid on previous purchases or in combination with any other offers. Free offers are not valid on any more than 10 items per order.

Free business cards
Free postcards
1 Free T-shirt
Free lawn signs
Free invitations and announcements
Free pens
Free letterhead
1 Free stamp
Free car door magnets
Free return address labels
1 Free sticky note pad
Free note cards

Get 25% off your entire order at Linens N' Things today through Sunday, August 10, 2008 as part of their family and friends sale. In stores use this printable coupon. It is a pdf so give it plenty of time to load. Online get the same discount with code FFAUG08. The coupon is not valid at closing stores.

LNT has many dorm deals and a $40 iPod clock radio after a $30 mail-in rebate. Don't forget to check out their clearance center.

Caveats: One coupon per customer. Coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. Cannot be used on Linens 'n Things Gift Cards. Cannot be combined with any other coupon or offer. Coupon not valid towards previous purchases and cannot be used with Linens 'n Things credit card first purchase offer. Other restrictions may apply.

Find a Linens 'n Things near you. They are in every state but Wyoming.

This Wednesday, August 6 get one free roll of film developed at Walgreens. It can be a single roll of 35mm film or a one-time use camera with 12, 24 or 36 exposures. You get one set of 4 x 6 inch prints and negatives. Bring in this coupon to get the deal.

Caveats: One per customer. In Hawaii valid on August 11 only. Subject to system capacity so get there early.

Find a Walgreens near you. Thanks, Kim!

Customer appreciation week at Staples ends Saturday, August 2, 2008 so get in soon to shop with a 12% discount. Print the coupon here. Valid in stores only.

Staples groups all their back to school stuff here. They also suggest back to school shopping lists by grade.

Caveats: coupon is good on in-stock inventory only. Price matching not allowed. For your personal purchases only, not part of your corporate contract. Cannot be used with any other offer. Cannot be used in conjunction with any Staples Rewards® programs. Excludes personal computers, laptops, gift cards, phone cards and postage stamps.

Find a Staples near you.

Get free shade trees for your home without too much work. To qualify you have to be a DWP customer and take a 20 minute online workshop about how to care for the young trees. I've heard you can get up to seven 15-gallon trees!

Read more about the program here. It is part of the Million Trees LA campaign.

Homeowners Associations and apartment owners must apply through the Non-Residential Program.

Got questions? Call 1-800-GreenLA (800-473-3652) or email the free tree folks at tree.program@ladwp.com. Thanks, Jen!

Get 30% off a full-priced item at Borders now until Sunday, August 3. To get the deal you must be part of their free membership program. Print the coupon here. One per customer.

Caveats: the discount cannot be combined with any other offer, including but not limited to "3 for 2," "Buy 4, Get 5th Free," or "Buy 1, Get 1 Half Price" offers. Excludes previous purchases, non-stock special orders, gift cards, newspapers, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, digital downloads, self-publishing programs, Rosetta Stone® software, shipping, and all electronics, including the Sony® Reader and the Zune™.

Find a Borders near you.

I got a small yellow flyer from Countrywide Thursday that intrigued me. The flyer said: "Fixed or adjustable rate home loans with NO points, NO origination fee, NO appraisal fee, NO processing fee, NO lender fees at all!"

Caps are theirs, not mine. Looks like the mortgage brokers still employed by Countrywide - apparently there are some left - are having a very hard time getting business. So hard they are offering what sounds like a real deal.

This doesn't mean it is any easier to get a loan. But if you do have good credit and are shopping around for a loan, you can ask for very favorable terms from Countrywide, as the flyer I received indicates. I'm guessing it's a similar story with other mortgage brokers, who went from having tons of business to very little when the housing marketing started to deflate.

Even if you have already purchased a home, buying a foreclosed property brings up a lot of strange terms you may not be familiar with.

ForeclosureFish.com, a site that offers help to home owners in danger of losing their home, provides many definitions. Here are some important ones.

balloon mortgage - A mortgage loan that requires the remaining principal balance be paid at a specific point in time. For example, a loan may be amortized as if it would be paid over a thirty year period, but requires that at the end of the tenth year the entire remaining balance must be paid. At that time, the owner will generally sell the property or refinance into a new mortgage.

deed-in-lieu - Short for "deed in lieu of foreclosure," this conveys title to the lender when the borrower is in default and wants to avoid foreclosure. The lender may or may not cease foreclosure activities if a borrower asks to provide a deed-in-lieu. Regardless of whether the lender accepts the deed-in-lieu, the avoidance and non-repayment of debt will most likely show on a credit history. What a deed-in-lieu may prevent is having the documents preparatory to a foreclosure being recorded and become a matter of public record.

default - Failure to make the mortgage payment within a specified period of time. For first mortgages or first trust deeds, if a payment has still not been made within 30 days of the due date, the loan is considered to be in default.

delinquency - Failure to make...

On the surface a foreclosed home may look like a bargain, but the reality is the process isn't pretty, according to a recent story in the SF Chronicle. Here's the low down:

Be prepared for fixer-uppers. "That's because banks don't do more than a very basic clean-out of foreclosed properties," the story says. "They don't paint. They don't replace carpets. They don't remodel." These homes will not have curb appeal and will be sold as it.

Expect to go up against multiple offers. You're not the only one who wants a deal.

You must be qualified to get a loan, which is much much harder to do now than two years ago. Get pre-approved to show you mean business.

When shopping for a loan, consider buying one from the bank that owns the foreclosed property you are interested in. "If two offers come in, and one is $3,000 less but they will take out the mortgage with them (the bank-owner), that's more valuable to them," the story says.

Short sales and auctions are a different animal so know the difference.

Search Bay Area foreclosure listings, courtesy of SFGate, the Chronicle's online site. The Daily News also has a foreclosure database that lets you search by address, zip code or city.

Thanks, Sarah!

So you'd like to get a fab deal on a foreclosed home, despite warnings that the process entails a ton of paperwork and an extremely low success rate. After all, who doesn't want a bargain basement home?

Begin by tracking down foreclosed listings. There are a few ways to do this:

+ Search online. Seems simple but many of the sites, like ForeclosureFreeSearch.com and Foreclosure.com, charge $10/week after a free trial membership. Both sites take your credit card number as part of the registration process but you can cancel before the end of the seven day period to avoid charges. RealtyTrac also has a seven-day free membership but I was able to search for local foreclosures without sharing any information.

+ Call lenders. Each has a list of real estate owned (REO) properties. Could take awhile to get through to the right person, however.

+ Go straight to the source. A huge number of foreclosed homes are owned by...

Home foreclosures rose 230 percent across the San Fernando Valley, 260 percent across LA County and 14 percent nationwide, according to a Daily News story and an ABC news story.

As bad as you and I may feel for those who lose their homes, let's be practical. For folks who don't own a home, foreclosures may be the only way to get into the market because they can be priced up to 30% off. So how does one buy a foreclosed home?

A story on eHow.com explains the process in 12 steps.

The story offers great, basic advice - from where to find foreclosed homes to negotiating with banks - but ends with this caveat: "Beware that buying foreclosed property has a very low probability of success for all of the above conditions and because many people try to do it."

I finally got around to cracking open the Sunday paper - it's been a busy week, yada, yada, yada - and found the USA Weekend insert had a story on stretching your dollars.

A lot of the Web sites and tips they featured are already familiar to you, my savvy spending friends, but here is one that I had not heard of before.

GardenBargainsOnline is a site run by a woman who loves gardening. She finds weekly deals, coupon codes and highlights sales at garden retailers. One tip currently on her site is for a 20% off sale at BloomingBulbs.com until July 31. The fall flowers on sale are listed here.

You can also get 15% off at Wayside Gardens using code AUG15 at checkout. Wayside is an online catalog of perennials, roses, trees and shrubs. The code expires August 15.

I signed up for the Garden Bargains deals email so I will pass on the best sales to you.

A tons of items are marked down as part of the Container Store's summer sale. Look for discounted storage boxes, jewelry holders and office organizers.

A hanging shoe rack that holds 10 pairs is $10 (orig $15). Fabric covered boxes are $12 to $20 (orig $15 to $25) and come in a variety of patterns and colors.

A magnetic bulletin strip that measures 5 inches by 21 inches is $13 (orig $15). It comes in steel or bronze colors.

It's unclear when the sale ends and if the sale is also in stores. Call a store near you to find out.

PlasticJungle.com is a site that lets you buy, sell, or trade unwanted gift cards - but watch out, they charge a 10% transaction fee when you sell or trade a card. Listing a card is free. On the other hand, the site guarantees the value of every card bought on the site.

"...any person who receives a card that is invalid or less than the amount indicated will be reimbursed by Plastic Jungle. The new policy takes effect immediately and applies to all gift cards posted on www.plasticjungle.com," the site says.

You can search for a card by merchant, discount, amount or store type. The site did not have any cards for Anthropologie, one of my favorite stores, but had five for Macy's. For each card for sale, the site lists its value, sale price, and percentage discount.

A note to sellers, most of the gift cards are sold for less than their value and you lose 10% of the sale price to Plastic Jungle. You may want to try Craigslist first.

Get 99-cent shipping on clearance items at Macys now until Sunday, July 20. Eligible items are marked as such after you click on them. Use promo code 99CENTS when checking out.

Clearance items fall in many categories - clothing, shoes, housewares, jewelry, bedding and more. Make sure to stay on the clearance pages if you want the cheap shipping.

A Giani Bernini tobacco satchel, above, is $56 (orig $75) and has 99-cent shipping. Hand-painted square ceramic dinner plates are $4.50 each (orig $10) and qualify for 99-cent shipping.

Caveats: Good for shipping to one address. Alaska, Hawaii, US Territories or APO/FPO addresses excluded. Discount does not apply to Coach, area rugs, furniture, mattresses, gift cards, purchases on macysweddingchannel.com, purchases in Macy's stores or prior purchases. Big or heavy items may have a shipping surcharge.

Get 20% off your whole purchase at Big Lots this Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. only. Print the coupon here. It is good at any Big Lots store.

Big Lots stocks furniture, small appliances, toys, clothes, food, household and yard supplies. The inventory differs from store to store but you can check which deals are near you on their home page.

Right now they have a special on Gibson mini electric guitars for kids, above, for $75 (orig $129). Stiffel table and floor lamps are $35 to $90.

Caveats: cannot be applied to past purchases or price holds. Cannot be combined with the employee discount or used on gift cards.

Find a Big Lots near you. Thanks, Albert!

Get $5 off your next purchase at Borders.com with a one-time coupon code that is good through August 8. The book seller is launching their new Web site and wants to get as many eyeballs online as possible. Use code BR41925 when checking out.

It is only good on full-priced merchandise (When I tried it on "Skinny Bitch," which was all the rage like, six months ago, it gave me 82 cents off the sale price of $9.77. Bizarre.)

Borders' new site is rather snazzy and makes searching for new books, DVDs, and kid's picks very easy. Borders now offers free shipping on orders of $25 or more, just like Amazon.com.

Caveats: not good in stores. Excludes past purchases, gift cards, eBooks, digital downloads, shipping, all and electronics. May not be combined with other coupons, sale pricing, or group discounts. one time use only.

Kenmore elite appliances are 20% off at Sears through Saturday, July 12, 2008. I've seen many appliance sales of 10% but 20% is unusual so if you have the money to pony up, now is a good time to do it.

Before the discount a top loading freezer with 5 cubic feet of storage space is $200. Good for stashing groceries you are buying on sale! A black 25 cubic foot refrigerator with double doors and a bottom drawer freezer, above, is $1,776 (orig $2,220).

Sears offers free standard delivery and haul away for purchases over $399 with a mail-in rebate. A 15% restocking fee may apply to appliances. Read Sears' return policy here. Find a Sears near you.

A newish blog at the Daily News called Green Spirited has a quick tip for how to cut your water bill. Install an aerator on the end of your kitchen faucet.

An aerator "mixes air with the water flow cutting the sheer volume of water used nearly in half without affecting your pressure. And you save oodles of energy used to heat the hot water, cuz you're using less water."

"When shopping for an aerator, look for one that has a flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute (or less), which can save up to three gallons a day. It's easier than skipping showers, Tommy Lee."

Screwing on an aerator sounds easy. Hardware stores like Home Depot sell them. Ace Hardware has a simple one for $7.50.

Linens -n- Things is having a semi-annual clearance sale with items marked down 25 to 75 percent. A set of 12 champagne flutes, above, is $15 (sale $20, orig $30) if you have a $5 off coupon available in many Sunday newspapers. Online get 20% off with coupon code 26620000008. A heavy-duty cookie sheet is $7.50 (orig $15).

Table linens and damask sheets are up to 50 percent off. There are also steep discounts on beach towels, picture frames and kitchen gear. Search clearance categories using the links on the left side of this page.

Find a LNT near you.

The Ikea summer sale is on now through Sunday, July 6. Certain items in the store are marked down 20 to 60%. A chaise armchair, similar to the one above, is $350 (orig $400). A stackable stool is $4 (orig $6) and and desk pads are $7 (orig $10).

If you are one of the first 100 people to arrive at the store Saturday, July 5 you will get a free breakfast (usually $1). Come dressed in bridal clothes and you will be entered into a contest to win Ikea gift cards and tickets to a screening of Mamma Mia! The Movie.

Find an Ikea near you.

A new Web site called RepairPal estimates the cost of car repairs. It takes into account the vehicle's make, model and your location. The site claims to provide "impartial, fair price estimates, the most comprehensive auto shop directory, and expert insights and advice from certified mechanics."

I got an estimate for replacing a front headlight on my MINI, which indeed is broken, and RepairPal said it would cost between $63 and $78. When I called the dealer, however, they said it would be $90. Hmmm...

RepairPal says they spent "more than a year researching, collecting, converting, cleaning, analyzing, and structuring many sources of data" to come up with accurate estimates. Read more about their methodology here.

Maybe they need to keep tinkering with their formula. Or maybe the dealer is ripping me off. Either way, I'm hoping Hubby will be able to fix it. He's very handy!

RepairPal also suggests repair shops. Thanks, Ryan!

Many retailers are announcing sales as part of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend. Yay, we get Friday off!

At Sears, appliances and vacuums are 15% off and many tools are on sale. Garden items and Kenmore grills are also marked down. The sale ends Tuesday, but I'm guessing another one will pop up for the holiday.

Get your grill on with a three-burner Kenmore grill that has 767 square inches of cooking space, above, for $250 (orig $330).

Find a Sears near you.

Amazon has various pet beds on sale, with prices ranging from a few dollars off to significantly reduced. A fuzzy grey pet bed that doubles as a carrier liner is $4.60 (orig $18). A colorful bone-shaped puffy bed is $7 (orig $25).

Kitties will find a cozy place to nap and hide in this bed carved out of a football, above, for $29 (orig $35). This is so cute it makes me want to get a cat!

There are many more beds, pillows, and resting places for big and small four footed friends. Unclear when the sale ends.

Get $5 off a purchase of $20 or more at Walgreens Friday, June 27 only. Some caveats. Print the coupon here.

Caveats: excludes alcohol, tobacco, prescriptions, prescription co-pays, gift cards and pre-paid cards. One per customer. Sales tax does not count towards the $20.

Find a Walgreens near you.

The Design Within Reach summer sale has tables, umbrellas, planters, lighting, chairs and other outdoor furniture up to 75% off. Most of the discounts are much less, however, and given only when you buy multiples of the same item.

A coated steel Hee Chair in green or yellow, above, is $98 (orig $200).

DWR devotees should put July 28 on their calender. That is when when floor samples go on super sale - up to 50% off - to make room for new inventory. The best bargains will sell out quickly so don't delay. Find a DWR near you.

Get free shipping on orders over $75 at Starbucks today only. No code needed. The discount will appear on your receipt review page. It's a good time to stock up on coffee beans if you buy them from the green coffee giant.

Caveats: free standard shipping is for the 48 contiguous states and APO/FPO only. Cannot be combined with other promotions. Expires June 25, 2008.

Oxnard welcomes a new thrift store to town this Saturday, June 28. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a charity comprised of members who seek personal holiness through works of charity, is opening the store to help out folks during the downturn.

An opening ceremony begins at 10 am Saturday, followed by music and giveaways at noon. They are accepting donations of usable appliances, furniture, computers and clothing. Donations are tax deductible.

Store hours are Monday through Saturday 9 to 7 and Sunday from 9 to 6. The store is already open. Visit them at 1258 Saviers Rd. in Oxnard. (805) 487-1500

I wrote about this deal once before but because many folks head to the nursery to buy plants this time of year I thought I would share this reminder. Lowe's has a fantastic plant return policy.

"If your trees, shrubs or perennials don't survive a year, we'll replace them free of charge. Just bring in the plant and the receipt," says a recent email I received from Lowe's. (Scroll down and look on the left.)

Their prices are decent and the quality is so so. Look for healthy, bug-free plants or, if you can track down a nursery attendant, ask them which of the plants you are considering are most healthy.

Keep the receipts in one spot - say an envelope on your desk marked "Lowe's plants." Find a Lowe's near you.

Starting today Jiffy Lube is offering a free fuel efficiency check up and $10 gas card when you take your car in for a Jiffy Lube Signature Service® Oil Change.

The $10 gas card comes in the form of an American Express® prepaid fuel card and requires you to mail in a form. The offer ends July 31, 2008.

During the oil change Jiffy Lube changes your filter, oil and checks if your tires are inflated properly. Find a participating Jiffy Lube near you.

Caveats: I'm not sure how long it takes the gas card to come in the mail. Thanks, Rachel!

This sounds like a great coupon until you read all the exceptions. But I'm posting it because it still applies to summer clothing, lawn and garden tools and home fashions at Sears so some readers may find it useful. Print the $5 off $30 coupon here. Read the fine print for all the caveats because there are a lot of them.

The above link also has a coupon for 10% off regular priced appliances. Both expire January 31, 2009. Find a Sears near you.

La Forge Lighting in Woodland Hills is going out of business because of the crappy economy and is selling everything. June 27 is their last day in business. Prices are 60% to 80% off retail.

They mostly have table lamps left, plus a few chandeliers and sconces, an employee said. Not many floor lamps are left. Prices for table lamps range from $50 to $350 with most of them falling in the $100 to $150 range. All sales are final.

Visit them at 22201 Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills one block west of Topanga. (818) 888-4914. Hours are 10 to 8 daily.

Discount Mags has some steep discounts on a handful of men's magazines but it is unclear how long these rates will last. The coupon codes drop the price to $3 for a year of Maxim (orig $15) and $3 for a year of Wired (orig $15). Pay $4 for Men's Journal (orig $12) or $4 for Car and Driver (orig $12). Men's Health is $15 (orig $25).

To get the discounted rates use coupon code FD-WIRED for Wired, FD-MAXIM for Maxim, FD-CD for Car and Driver, FD-MJ for Men's Journal and FD-MH for Men's Health. Get 20% other mag subscriptions with code FD-20OFF. Unclear how long the discount codes last.

Get $5 off a $15 purchase at Linens -n- Things now until June 22. Valid in stores only. Print the coupon here. The coupon brings a wood carving knife and fork to $10 (sale $15, orig $20).

Or get 20% off a single item in stores until June 16, 2008 with this coupon. Good in stores only. A Kitchen Aid pro line espresso machine, above, is $539 (sale $674, orig $900).

Caveats: many brands excluded on both coupons. Cannot be combined with other offers, not valid on past purchases or with a LNT credit card first purchase offer. Find a LNT near you.

The discount garden store Pottery, Plants & Things in Valley Village is having a sale today through Wednesday, June 18. Glazed clay pots are $2.50 each and silk lanterns are 30% off.

There is a coupon for 20% off all live plants on page A19 of today's Daily News. The ad also has a coupon for 30% off one regular priced item under $100 and 10% off one regular priced item over $100.

Visit them at 12144 Magnolia Blvd in Valley Village. (818) 985-4499. Yelpers describe the store, which used to be called Mainly Seconds, as a cross between a Tuesday Morning and a florist.

Get $25 off a purchase of $75 or more at Staples today only!

The code seems to be good on most stuff in the store, but it is likely they are exceptions. Use code 60990 when checking out online or ordering over the phone (800-3-STAPLE). The code is not good in stores.

Their weekly online specials includes markdowns on a printer, office chair, and traveling laptop case. A faux leather chair, above, is $60 (orig $100). Shipping is free on most orders over $50.

The REI used gear sale starts at 10 am June 14 at the Northridge store and 7 am June 21 at the Santa Monica store.

Prices on all kinds of gear - tents, strollers, clothes, shoes, and bags - are typically at least 35% below retail and often they are 50% off. The condition of the items are anywhere from used once to slightly dusty.

The sale is open to members and it costs $20 for a lifetime membership.

At the Santa Monica used gear sale that I went to last year there were already about 40 people in line when I showed up at 6:30 a.m. I'm glad I went because I got an awesome sleeping bag and gym bag. Not sure if the Northridge sale will be as crowded. The Santa Monica sale did not last long - maybe an hour or two - so get there early before the best stuff is gone.

To make your Friday the 13th a bit luckier, Crate & Barrel's summer sale starts on that date. Look for sales on indoor and outdoor furniture, upholstered sofas and chairs, sleepers, ottomans, sectionals and benches.

Some home dining and accent tables will be marked down along with decorative pillows, prints, mirrors and accessories. A few floor samples will also be on sale (and they can be fabulous bargains).

Sale is online too, but floor samples are only in the store. Find a Crate & Barrel near you.

Cheap is in, but home repair - that quintessential summer activity - is nowhere near a bargain. So how to freshen up your abode on a budget? Follow these basic principles.

Do it yourself. Buy it used. Update, not transform.

Now one more time with enthusiasm and details. First, focus on updating the rooms where you spend a lot of time - your kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

In the kitchen, a new faucet and sink will provide an instant face-lift. Both can be replaced for about $800, and the task is one that even the power tool-challenged can handle.

"People don't automatically know what you did, but it looks a lot better," said Suzanne Horton, president and CEO of Be Jane, a Burbank company that empowers women to improve their homes. "It has a very visible impact to the eye."

In the bathroom...

Get 20% off regular and sale-priced clothing and bath items from JC Penney online. When shopping use coupon code YOUR20. Expires June 12, 2008.

The Web site lets you enter the coupon code early in the process so you can tell right away whether the coupon works on your items. If it does apply the order summary page will list the discount amount in parenthesis or say 'discount does not apply.'

A ton of stuff is on sale - swim suits, father's day items, bath towels, etc.

Caveats: excludes furniture, housewares, jewelry and a few other items. Exp. 6/12/08

Get $5 off a $50 purchase at Home Depot online now until June 4, 2008. There are many caveats so read the fine print. Use coupon code DAD2008.

A one gallon Gardenia plant known for fragrant blooms is $25. A Char-Broil Santa Fe charcoal grill with two adjustable side shelves is $119. Use their grill finder to set parameters like price, features, fuel type, brands, and BTU capacity.

Coupon caveats: cannot be combined with other discounts, not valid on labor or self-furnish and install including roofing, windows, siding, HVAC products, custom closets, storage solutions, installed sheds or structures. Not valid on gift cards, prior purchases, consumer electronics, and the following brands: John Deere, Cub Cadet, Little Giant Ladder Systems®, Thermador® in select markets, Gaggenau®, Miele®, Dacor®, Viking®, Fisher&Paykel®, Sharp Insight™, Delonghi®, Casablanca®, Hunter Prestige®, Buckhaven, Weber, Lynx, Alfresco, OCI, Marvel, Bertazzoni, Aga, and Vent A Hood.

A reader emailed me with a tip on a good place for cheap pet baths. It costs less than a groomer and won't stink up your home!

"I take my dog to the Petco...and give her a bath at their self-service grooming for $10.00. Groomers charge me between $25 and $45 so this is a bargain for me and I don't have to burn gas to drop her off at the groomer's and then pick her up and she won't be in a cage all day waiting for her bath and then waiting for me to pick her up. Petco provides the basin for the bath, a thick no-slip mat on the bottom of the basin, hot and cold water, a hand-held sprayer with a long hose, all the shampoos and conditioners including the ones for dry skin, allergies, fleas, towels or a hair blower, and to top it off......Petco cleans the mess!"

The downside, she points out, is the temptation to buy stuff while she is in the store. Leave your wallet in the trunk (other than cash to pay for the bath) and you won't have that problem. Find a Petco near you and remember to check the option for self-service dog wash. Thanks, Shoshana!

That Pet Place is having a big clearance sale with more than 900 items discounted. A pet collar that lets you snap in your animal's name and your phone number is $10 (orig $17). A mini-tent for a ferret or other small animal is $10 (orig $15).

The spider cat tree is like a playground for your kitty. It has four scratching posts, four elevated landings from which your kitty can keep watch, four dangling toys and a hollow hideout in the center of the contraption, pictured above. It is $141 (orig $230). Browse all their deals here.

Get $10 off any dog bed until June 30 at OhMyDogSupplies.com, a site that caters to pampered pooches. Use code BEDS4BARGANISTS when checking out. The microvelvet double donut dog bed, above, is $150 (orig $160) and looks tres comfy. All dogs beds are shipped free. Join their email list and you will get 12% off your first purchase.

The site also has short stories on caring for your dog, from training tips to a shopping guide for great danes. Browse all their dog tales.

If you notice a trend in today's posts it is because today is theme day! I hope you enjoy reading the pet-themed deals and save a buck from one of the tips. If I have overlooked your favorite place to save on anything pet-related please leave a comment so others can benefit. Thanks! ~Julia

PS. The next theme will be free things to do in LA. Thanks in advance for sending me your ideas!

Now through Tuesday, May 27 get free shipping at JC Penney on orders of $49 or more. The offer includes outlet items. Use code SUPERSUM. Not sure if it is case sensitive.

Tons of summery dresses are on sale and many are under $50! A colorful dress with red, pink, brown, and yellow accent flowers, above, is $25 (orig $50). Bath and bedding have steep mark downs and kitchen goods are on sale, like this 14-piece red non stick pot set for $100 (orig $150). Browse all the women's clothing on sale, including swim suits, capris, accessories, tops, and maternity.

Caveats: good for delivery within the 48 contiguous United States, not eligible on truck or express deliveries, taxes, services, prior purchases, past purchases. Cannot be combined with any other offers.

Because Sears knows a lot of folks get outdoors on Memorial Day weekend they have marked down some outdoor furniture, grills and outdoor games. There is also a 12% mail-in rebate for appliances that cost more than $399 and have been purchased between May 18 and 22, 2008. Read the details here.

All Garden Oasis furniture is on sale, including a 10-piece patio set for $450 (orig $550). All Kenmore grills are on sale. A combination badminton/volleyball set is $30 (orig $50), a six player croquet set is $18 (orig $25). Browse all their outdoor games here.

Sale ends May 22. Find a store near you.

Get 20% off your total purchase at Linens -n- Things now until May 26, 2008. In stores only. Print the coupon here. Beach towels are already 30% off as part of their Memorial Day sale. Summer serving ware is 25% off. A lot of other summery items are on sale. A squarish beach towel, above, is $21 (orig $30) before the coupon applies.

Caveats: one per customer, some brands excluded, not valid on past purchases or gift cards, cannot be combined with other coupons. Find a LNT near you.

Save a few bucks while stocking up on bones for Beastie or toys for your Kitty at PetSmart. Get $5 off a purchase of $25, $10 off a $40 tab, or $15 off a bill of $50. Print the coupons here. The expire May 18, 2008.

Caveats: cannot be used to buy gift cards. Find a PetSmart near you.

Get 40% off one regular priced book at Borders when you spend at least $20. Must belong to the Borders free membership club. The coupon is good in stores only. Print the coupon here. Expires May 18, 2008.

"Autobiography of a Face," by Lucy Grealy, sounds fascinating. As a young girl Grealy's face was disfigured by cancer and she struggled her entire life to accept herself while secretly wanting to be perfect, the Amazon review says.

Caveats: excludes previous and online purchases, non-stock special orders, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, and shipping. Cannot be combined with other coupons or discounts, one coupon per customer. Find a Borders near you.

Rut roh! That's me using my best Scooby Doo voice after hearing that big dogs are not welcome at the new Americana at Brand shopping complex in Glendale, according to Racked LA.

Racked writes "Family-friendly Americana at Brand is already not looking so lovingly at Fido if he's not the size of a teacup. Franklin Avenue reports on letters coming into the Glendale News-Press complaining about Americana's no big-dog policy."

What if you live there and have a big, Scooby-sized pooch? Does this mean you can't take him/her for a stroll out your front door? If it comes down to pet people v. Americana mall rats, pet people are going to piss all over the policy. Now, who's got a Scooby snack?

Get a 15-piece baking set for $10 (orig $20) from Linens -n- Things. Great for folks setting up their kitchen or home. The nonstick set, pictured above, includes a cookie sheet, a 12-cup muffin pan, two 9-inch cake pans, a bread loaf pan, plastic measuring cup, set of four plastic measuring spoons, two silicone spatulas, a whisk, icing knife and slotted spatula.

LNT also has a $10 pasta set (orig $20), an 11-piece breakfast set for $15 (orig $20), and an 11-piece pizza set for $15 (orig $20).

Not sure if the set is also discounted in stores but if it is remember to use a 20% off coupon.

Who knows how long the Sharper Image, which filed for bankruptcy in February, will be around. With their fate uncertain the retailer has put out a lot of coupons to boost business. So if you have always yearned for a black imitation leather chair that squeezes your calves and sends rollers up and down your back while humming lightly, check out these coupons.

$10 off $50 or more until Jan 31, 2009. Online, in stores and over the phone.

$15 off $75 or $30 off $150 until May 31, 2008. Online, in stores and over the phone.

$20 off a purchase of $100 or more until Jan 31, 2009. Online, in stores and over the phone.

Note, just because the coupon expiration dates are far into the future does not mean they will be around that long. If a coupon is being used heavily a retailer may rescind the offer.

Caveats: read the fine print.

Get $10 off a purchase of $30 or more at Bath and Body Works with a coupon that expires today, May 12, 2008. In stores only. Print the coupon here. Find a store near you.

Caveats: cannot be combined with other coupons or discounts, not valid on past purchases or gift cards. Shipping and taxes do not count towards $30. Thanks, Kay!

Deconstruct a home to preserve the windows, cabinets, bathtub, and flooring and resell them to the public at low prices. That's what the ReUsePeople do and it sounds like a bargain! They have new retail warehouses in Pacoima, plus others in Oakland, Seattle, the outside Boulder.

The Pacoima warehouse is having its grand opening this Saturday and celebrating by selling all doors for $5 (normally $20 to $50). Windows are $15 to $60, kitchen cabinets are $20 to $100 per, bedroom dressers are $20 to $100, fridges are $150 to $200 and stoves are $35 to $100. Look also for water heaters, dishwashers, built in shelves, a few bathtubs, and more.

Saturday 10 to 4, Tuesday through Friday 10 to 5. Check some of the items they have on the right column of their retail sales page. One listing from a 5,400 square foot home in Pt. Loma includes beveled-glass French doors, Jen Air cook top, Sub Zero refrigerator, granite vanities and like-new hot tub.

The sale is at 11017 Sutter Ave. in Pacoima. (818) 897-2798.

Directions: From I-5: Take the 118E. Exit at San Fernando Road, make a left onto San Fernando Road, make the first right onto Paxton. Make the first right onto Sutter Avenue. The warehouse is on the left hand side, about one block down. Cash and credit cards.

JC Penney is having a home sale with prices marked down by 30 to 60%. A six-piece towel set that comes in 26 colors is $30 (orig $50). A wooden bookshelf is $229 (orig $400). An Abbott kitchen cart with a towel bar and rollers, above, is $90 (orig $150). Unclear when the sale ends.

If you shop online, get free shipping if your tab is $99 or more with promo code MAYHMS. Expires May 12, 2008.

Get 15% off one item at Barnes & Nobles stores or online with a coupon that is good until May 19, 2008. Print the coupon here. Online use promo code Y8Y8E9R. Find a store near you.

Caveats: can only be used once in stores and once online per customer, will be deducted after any applicable Member discounts, not eligible towards the purchase of gift cards, past purchases, memberships, gift-wrapping, Barnes & Noble Bestsellers, textbooks, ship-to-home orders, shipping or handling, products marked as "not eligible for Member discounts, coupons or promotional discounts," used books, PC and video games, etc. May not be combined with any other coupon. Not valid at Barnes & Noble College Bookstores. Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices on bn.com may vary from those in Barnes & Noble retail stores. Photocopies not accepted.

Thanks, Linda!

The price of a first-class stamp goes up from 41-cents to 42-cents May 12. The price of a Forever stamp, which has a picture of the Liberty Bell, will go up on May 14. But if you buy it before then it will cost you 41-cents AND you can use it after rates go up (without a 1-cent add-on).

Find a post office near you. You can also buy the Forever stamp online.

Get a discount on home repair and maintenance with a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $25 or more at TrueValue hardware. Click here to enter your email so they can send you the coupon. Expires July 4, 2008 so come back to print out more as you need them.

Caveats: one per customer, stores may limit eligible items to certain items in stock, not valid with other discounts, not refundable. Find a TrueValue near you.

Get 20% off regular, sale and clearance merchandise at Macy's now until Monday, May 5. The discount is 10% on electrics, technology, furniture, mattresses, and area rugs. Get the coupon here. Online use code MACYSFF.

I blogged about this discount a few days ago but you had to go to the Topanga store. Now everyone can use it. This coupon also makes for killer savings on wedding presents!

Caveats: cannot be combined with other discounts, excludes cosmetics, fragrances, Everyday Values, Tempur-Pedic, gift cards, services, restaurants, special orders and wine. Thanks, Kay!

Get 24 coupons for tools and supplies at Harbor Freight that can be used now until May 3, 2008. A 18 to 24 volt solar charger is $80 (orig $90), a six-piece Pittsburg screwdriver set is $1.29 (orig $6), a 10-pack of 1/8-inch drill bits is $1.39 (orig $3.50), a stud finder is $6.50 (orig $10), and a 22-piece screwdriver bit set is $3 (orig $7). Print the coupons here.

Find a Harbor Freight near you.

Get 21% off purchases at DiscountOfficeSuppliesy.com today only! An email flyer said there are no exclusions. Use code EMAPR28 in all CAPITAL letters to get the discount. Free delivery on purchases over $50. Unopened software can be returned within 5 days, products can be returned within 30 days. Read the full return policy here.

Caveats: excludes shipping and handling, cannot be combined with any other offer, coupons, or discounts, not valid on previous purchases, one per customer.

Here is a Web site that helps you find the best bank for your needs. At FindABetterBank.com you enter your zip code, then rank 12 account features as things you either don't care about, would like to have, or must have. Answer a handful of questions about what fees usually snag you, then sort through the results it spits out. It took me about three minutes to go through the process.

You can rank the results by estimated annual fees (the Web site guesses what you pay according to the info you shared), the percentage of preferred features you ranked or proximity. The results also detail each bank's features, fees, and savings account rates. The site was started by two guys, one with a finance background and one a techie. Their premise was that it is too difficult for people to switch banks and that if the process were easier the better banks would rise to the top.

People have such different needs I do not think there is one "best" bank, but certainly this site can help you find one that suits your lifestyle. Read more about how the site works.

The one day home sale at Bloomingdale's is Saturday, April 26, but it really starts today during "preview day." Select items in linens, housewares, furniture, mattresses, luggage, bed and bath are 25 to 75% off. Ralph Loren towels are $5 to $16 (orig $8 to $27), a 4.5 quart Kitchen Aid, above is $200 (orig $350).

Browse all the sale categories here. Sale is in stores and online. Thanks, Sarah!

The family and friends sale at Cost Plus World Market is April 24 to 27, 2008. Get 25% off store wide and 10% off gourmet food and beverages. Use this printable coupon for in store shopping or code FFAPRIL online.

Caveats: excludes alcohol, gift cards, prior purchases, cannot be combined with other coupons or discounts. Find a Cost Plus near you.

Shop at Buck-a-Roo$ with nine friends and everyone gets 10% off their purchases. The host of the party gets 15% of the group's tab (after the 10%) back in cash, according to this flyer. Wow! It's kind of like a Tupperware party at a grocery/supply store. The discount store is in Van Nuys and carries everything from pasta to shorts and yard supplies. Read more about the store in my blog post from last month.

To book a shopping party call Erin Mahoney at (818) 758-6500 x 33. She will arrange a date and time for your group to shop so the manager knows you are coming. The store tracks how much your group spends by giving everyone a five-digit code. There is no minimum purchase. Locations in Van Nuys, Bellflower and Pico Rivera.

Note, shopping in groups can lead to buying more because you see a friend get something and you feel you should have it too. But don't give in! Make a list beforehand and stick to it.

Get 25% off one item at Barnes & Noble stores now until April 28, 2008. Use this printable coupon to get the deal. The chain is having a DVD sale with thousands of items 40% off. Eligible items are marked "DVD sale" Find a store near you.

Caveats: not valid online, at B&N College Bookstores, on gift cards, memberships, past purchases, textbooks. Cannot be combined with other offers. Coupon photocopies not valid. Thanks, Linda!

This Scholastic book sale is for school employees, school district personnel, registered home schoolers, and book fair chair people and volunteers. If you are one of those, sign up to get into warehouse sales in Thousand Oaks and Culver City. Register your name and password and I'm told Scholastic will send you a Fast-Cart Pass along with a $10 off coupon. Find a sale in a different state and read more about their warehouse sales here. Thanks, Jen!

Get 12% off at Staples during customer appreciation week, April 20 to 26. In stores only. Print the coupon here.

Caveats: not good on personal computers, laptops, gift cards, phone cards, and postage stamps. Not valid online. Find a Staples near you.

WalMart is giving away 1 million reusable bags tomorrow, April 19, 2008 starting at 8am. With about 3,500 stores in the United States that means about 285 bags per store. Call to double check your nearest store is participating and to confirm what time they will start the giveaway. Find a store near you.

Get five yummy smelling liquid soaps and lotions from Bath & Body Works for $25 for a limited time. Some are priced at $11 each so technically you could save as much as $30. There are 132 items to choose from that are part of the promotion so you won't lack for a variety of girly scented goop. Smell like the freshly picked flower of your choice!

Look for other sales and package deals on the left side of this link. Unclear if the sale is also in stores. Shipping is free on tabs of $65 or more with code SENDFREE65.

Pottery Barn has 1000 sale items up to 50% off during it's "secret" sale. (They tell everyone else Monday.) Sale includes furniture, lighting, dishes, accessories, and linens. A honey-colored Valencia sleigh bed, above, is $900-$1,000 (orig $1,000 to $1,100). A pinboard scrapbook is $60 (orig $100) and paper refills are $10 (orig $20). A glass decanter is $20 (orig $30).

Don't forget to check out their clearance items, which have been marked down up to 75%. Unclear how long sale lasts or if it is also in stores. Thanks, Sarah!

This weekend, April 19 and 20, 2008, OSH is paying your sales tax. That means you get a 7.6% discount on everything (if I did my math right).

I like OSH because they have a generous return policy for plants. If it dies you bring it back with your receipt and you can exchange it or get store credit. Their customer service is good, too. I returned a broken spritzer that was probably six months old without the receipt and they gave us full credit. Find an OSH near you. Thanks, Eric!

Keep your eyes peeled for big sales at Linens -n- Things. The home furnishings store, and a major rival of Bed, Bath & Beyond, may file for bankruptcy, according to a New York Times story.

Could this mean an end to the reams of 20% off coupons both stores send in the mail? BBB and LNT accept each others coupons and take ones that have already expired. But if LNT does not survive, BBB won't have to worry about competition and may change its coupon policies. So even if you think you have an endless supply of those 20% off coupons, keep saving them. They may come in handy down the line (unless BBB starts honoring the expiration date). Thanks, SCRS!

Creativity Inc, a Van Nuys company that wheels and deals in arts and crafts products, is having a spring clearance sale Saturday, April 19, 2008. The sale is 7 am to noon. The company sells beads, paper crafts, scrap booking materials, storage and organization products and general craft materials. A flyer says they are "cleaning house" but mentions no specific discounts.

Visit them at the Westrim Inc parking lot at 7855 Hayvenhurst Ave. in Van Nuys on the western tip of the Van Nuys Airport.

Caveats: cash and carry only. Thanks, Gregg!

A new kind of prescription drug plan has patients paying for a percentage of their drug's cost instead of a flat co-pay like $10, according to a New York Times story. The drug plan is called Tier 4. Many Medicare plans have it and now an increasing number of private plans are using it. Only a few drugs are in Tier 4 but they are very expensive, pushing patient co-pays to three or four digits.

"The system means that the burden of expensive health care can now affect insured people, too," the story says. "No one knows how many patients are affected, but hundreds of drugs are priced this new way. They are used to treat diseases that may be fairly common, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, hepatitis C and some cancers. There are no cheaper equivalents for these drugs, so patients are forced to pay the price or do without."

It's so hard to believe that the lives of so many are in the hands of bean counters. Even though our government is plagued by inefficiencies, this is a strong argument for universal health care. Read the whole story here, or if you can't log onto the NYT site, click on the first link at the top of this page. If that *still* does not work, email me with a request and I will forward you the story.

Tax day hurts, especially if you are paying out instead of taking in. To ease the pain (and get a share of those refund checks), Walgreens is taking 15% off online orders of $50 or more Tuesday, April 15 only. Ends 11:59 p.m. CST. Use coupon code DAY2SAVE.

Caveats: excludes photo, pharmacy, and gift cards. One per account. Does not apply toward taxes or shipping charges.

Furniture and bedding is 20% off at Shabby Chic now until April 27, 2008. You can't buy stuff through the Web site but they do have prices, specs, and upholstery options online. Click on merchandise to see at that stuff. Store locations include Malibu, Santa Monica, Palm Desert and others. Thanks, Jen!

Get 25% off one item at Barnes & Noble starting tomorrow, April 15, 2008 through Monday, April 21, 2008. Good in stores, but not at college stores or online. Get the printable coupon here and scroll down the above link to see additional coupons for specific books.

Caveats: may only be used once, not good on gift cards, memberships, textbooks, past purchases. May not be combined with any other offer.

Check out the Web site Climate Counts for the skinny on how green major corporations are. Companies get a score from 1 to 100 based on 22 criteria, which you can use to rank the companies you patronize.

So how did local companies do? Yahoo! in Burbank netted 36. LAME-O! Anheuser Busch, which has a brewing plant in Van Nuys, got a 29. PHOOEY! Disney scored 24 points. FLUNK! Also of note, Google gets a miserable 17. EAT MY EGG SALAD! Next to each company's score is a way to e-mail them and let them know you think the climate counts.

The guy behind the site heads Stonyfield Farms, a green dairy company that scored 63. Read more the folks at Climate Counts.

Get $5 off a purchase of $20 or more at Walgreens today, April 11, only. Use this printable coupon to get the discount. Find a Walgreens near you.

Caveats: excludes alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, prescriptions and pre-paid cards.

Get $5 off a purchase of $25 or more at TrueValue Hardware now until July 4, 2008. Print the coupon here.

Caveats: one per customer, only at participating stores, may be limited to in-stock items, not valid with other coupons or offers. Find a TrueValue near you.

Get one roll of film processed free at Walgreens this Wednesday, April 9 only. One per customer. Get the coupon here. Go early before they are overrun with jobs.

Caveats: film must be 35mm, APS, or one-time use camera only. Offer good on any size roll. Includes one set of 4x6 prints and negatives. Subject to system capacity. Find a Walgreens near you.

Tax time. If you are lucky, someone else (Hubby) does the number crunching and you (me) keep them well fed and on task. When it comes to estimating the value of donated goods, however, you are on your own. The IRS does not set specific values for donated goods, but lets you deduct "fair market value" for items in "good" condition or better.

As Debt-Proof Living warns, "If you estimate too high you could face an audit—with the requirement to prove and authenticate the values you assigned—and penalties if the IRS does not agree with your numbers. But if you value your donations too low, you stand to lose a lot of money you could have recouped."

Luckily, there are a number of pricing guides. The Salvation Army has a Valuation Guide with high and low numbers for dozens of items. Bicycles are $15 to $65, sweaters are $2.50 to $8, a floor lamp is $7.50 to $40.

Yahoo has a similar guide but it does not list as many items. Goodwill also lists a price range for items they sell in their stores, about as fair as fair market gets. A CPA named Jeffrey Campbell from Ohio lists high, low, and average value for many donated items on his personal site. His Web site says he has been a CPA for 15+ years, but his phone number and e-mail are listed if you want to double check.

Debt-Proof Living also recommends the booklet “MONEY-For Your Used Clothing; 2007 Tax Year” which they will sell to you for $20. The site claims the authors guarantee you will save at least $250 using their guide or they will give you your money back. Hmmm...with so many free guides I don't think it makes sense to buy a booklet unless you are really freaked out about a possible audit or have major items to donate and really want to be accurate.

Get a free printer cartridge refill at Walgreens Wednesday, April 2, 2008 only. Brands included in the freebie are Dell, HP, Lexmark, Okidata, Primera, Sharp and Xerox. No purchase is necessary but you will need this printable coupon. You can also find the coupon in their March 30 flyer. Looks like you can get one black or color refill.

For all the details click here. Find a participating store near you.

Look below for your specific model to make sure refills are available before you lug it down to Walgreens...

Get $5 off your purchase of $25 or more at the Office Depot now until April 14, 2008. Good in stores only. To get the discount use this printable coupon. Eligible items include office supplies, furniture, lighting, desk accessories, filing/storage, and cleaning/breakroom supplies.

Caveats: excludes gift cards, stamps, protection plans, HP ink and toner, technology items like computers, printers, software, memory, wireless, satellite, Internet, mailing and shipping. Read the fine print for all the details. Find an Office Depot near you.

Get a free Swingline stapler worth about $20 when you take a very brief survey for Swingline. Just tell them how important it is to have 28 different tools/office items in your desk. The free stapler retails for $19.59 at Office Depot. Unclear how many freebies they have to give out.

Caveats: one entry per person and per household, must live in the contiguous United States. Allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Note, staplers cannot be shipped to a PO Box.

UPDATE: This deal has already expired.

PREVIOUSLY: Get a free Schick Quattro Titanium Razor, which retails for about $10, when you enter your name, address, age, gender and email address on this site. Unclear when the deal expires.

Caveats: one razor per person, household, or address, available only while supplies last, must be 16 years of age or older to receive a free sample.

Looking for linens? One place to check out is the Designer Linens Outlet. They sell linens for the bedroom, bathroom, and window dressings. A white sheet set made out of 1000-thread count cotton is $120 (orig $400). Linen prices can really vary, but I did a quick check at Macy's, which only sells sheets up to 800-thread count. Their Hotel brand 800-thread count sheets are $117 just for the flat sheet and another $117 for the fitted sheet.

The Outlet has a matching comforter, bed skirt and sham set in fall hues is $95 (orig $190) but comes in king size only. Macy's bed sets range from $80 to $230.

At the Outlet a six piece silk blend Shangri La towel set is $60 (orig $120). Macy's does not sell the Shangri La brand of towels but you can browse their selection here for your own price comparison.

Barnes & Noble is marking down all their CDs - new releases, box sets, etc - by 40% now until Sunday, March 30. In stores only. Use this printable coupon to get the discount. You do not need to be a member and the discount applies to as many CDs as you want to buy.

Caveats: not good at college bookstores or online.

Have you heard of Buck-a-Roo$? Besides from having a really silly name, the discount home goods/grocery store in Van Nuys has some really good deals. Not everything is a bargain though, so shop with a discriminating eye.

Here are some deals I found there. Three Oral Fresh Plus toothbrushes for $1 (now I'm wondering why I only bought three!), two pint glasses for $1, Wet 'n Wild nail polish for $1, Herbal Essences 23.7 fl oz for $5, maternity jean shorts with an elastic band for $5, two 24-oz packs of Nestle chocolate chips for $5, and 5lb of long grain white rice for $2.

Some suspect prices I found there. Six packs of Ramen for $1 (a really good sale is at least 10/$1), 16 oz of pasta for $1 (you can get the same amount for $.79 at Trader Joe's) and camping chairs for $15 (they go on sale for $10 or less).

About 2/3 of the store is home goods and the rest is grocery. No fresh food was being sold when I dropped by. Here is a coupon for 15% off any purchase, good through April 15, 2008. Buck-a-Roo$ has such low prices because it buys overstocked items, orders that were canceled and items that have old packaging (not expired, just old). That means the stock is inconsistent - a deal you see one day may not be there the next day. Read more about the company here.

The Van Nuys store is new and clean, the aisles are wide and the place is well lit. Parking in back and in front. Note, they do not accept personal checks. Visit them at 17641 Vanowen St. in Van Nuys. (818) 758-6500. Open 8 to 9 everyday. Other locations in Bellflower and Pico Rivera.

In case you don't get these things all the time in the mail, here is a coupon for 20% off at Linens 'n Things. Good on any single item with some exceptions. Expires December 31, 2008. Both LNT and Bed, Bath & Beyond accept each others coupon and generally accept coupons even after they expire. This one can be used more than once so come back to print another one out when you need it.

Cavests: valid in stores only, cannot be combined with other discounts. A number of labels are excluded, read the fine print for details. Find an LNT near you.

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.

The Machinist blogger has figured out a way to access all the Wall Street Journal stories online for free. Normally subscribing costs $80 a year. The deal is that the WSJ wants to get traffic from search engines like Google and sites like Digg that collect popular stories, so the financial newspaper makes most or all of its stories free if you access them through these sites.

Normally, when you click on a link to a WSJ story from an ordinary Web site you get a truncated version of the story and have to log on and pay to finish reading it. "But if you click on a link to that same article in Google News, you'll be sent to the full story for free. This is true, also, of WSJ links on Digg, and probably a few other big referral sites, too," the blog post says.

If some stories are still off limits you can install a referer spoofer, which is totally legal, the Machinist blog claims. For directions click here and scroll down to where it says "The slightly harder way (but you do get all the Journal's stories):"

The Chef's Corner has marked its collection of Villeroy & Boch dishes, platters, and serving ware down by 50% in honor of the basketball fever that has consumed many otherwise sane people. A 16-piece Twist Alea Limone set with a dinner plate, salad plate, bowl and mug, above, is $129 (retails $260). A French Garden Fleurence 12.5-inch serving platter is $75 (retails $150). Browse all the V&B on sale. Note, if you want quicker delivery make sure the item is in stock. Otherwise it takes about three to four weeks. Sale ends March 29, 2008.

The kit is $4 (orig $18) at Graveyard Mall and shipping is $7. Not a bad deal overall. It includes 400 letters in two fonts, four stampers to hold your message, tweezers to arrange the letters, an ink pad and a tray to hold it all. Don't wait long if you are interested because prices fluctuate on this site.

Click here to see their other deals of the day, including a scale/body fat monitor for $23, a wooden multi-game set for $5 and a mushroom that plays soft music and displays lights to soothe sleepy tots, for $10.

Here are four merlots that were rated as "great bargains" by Shop Smart magazine. They range from $5 to just under $11. I added links to purchase each bottle.

Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2004, Columbia Valley, Washington, $10.79 on wine.com

Yellow Tail 2006, Australia, $7 at Wine County North Plainfield (I've had this and it works in a pinch.)

Bogle Vineyards 2005, California $7 at klwines.com (I had this and it was tasty.)

Walnut Crest 2005, Rapel Valley, Chile $5 at greatcorks.com

My favorite bottle of cheap, I mean affordable wine, is Ravenswood Vinter's Blend 2005 Zinfandel for $9 at Malloy's Finest. Albertsons stocks it.

The article also gives the thumbs up to two boxed wines, which are the size of four bottles.

Delicato Bota Box merlot 2005 is $20 at Wine Merchant Raleigh and Black Box 2004 is $22 at Bevmo.

Members get 25% off one regular priced item at Borders now through Sunday, March 16. Joining is free and takes about 3 minutes in stores. I push the Border's membership because it is free and when you use their big coupons the book price often rival Amazon, but you get instant gratification. Print out this coupon to get the deal.

Caveats: gotta be a member. Cannot be combined with any other offer, including but not limited to “3 for 2," "Buy 3, Get 4th Free," "Buy 4, Get 5th Free," or “Buy 1, Get 1 Half Price” offers. Excludes previous and online purchases, gift cards, newspapers, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, digital downloads, Rosetta Stone® software, shipping, and all electronics, including the Sony® Reader and the Zune™.

Find a Borders near you.

A gourmet cook dreams of the shiny pots, untold number of gadgets, and serving dishes sold at Sur la Table. Alas, they rarely have sales, which is why I jumped at this one. Assorted items in nine categories are marked down. Graphite baking pans for a lasagna or casserole are $25 to $55 (orig $40 to $80). A four-piece steak knife set is $30 (orig $60). Both would make great gifts for a wedding or house warming.

Easter gear is all 30% off. A red wooden sign that will warm the hearts of chocolate lovers, above, is $9 (orig $37). A set of four fuzzy chicks to cheer up your Easter table are $12 (orig $20). Not sure if the sale is as extensive in stores (or at all), but I'll understand if you prefer to shop Sur la Table's isles, if only to fuel your foodie fantasies.

Reader Judy wrote me about the One Dollar Bookstore, her favorite place to pick up $1 reads. I hesitated to blog about the store because I have not been there and I don't often get over to Burbank, where A&S is located. But I didn't want to deprive anyone of a $1 book.

The store has fiction, non-fiction, hard and soft covers, used titles, children's books, coffee table books, cookbooks, craft and gardening books, and comics. They are not organized so you have to peruse the shelves yourself. Judy bought hardcover books by Jonathan Kellerman, Stuart Woods, David Baldacci and Wilbur Smith. She also bought a Jay Leno book.

All sales are final. Visit them at 301 San Fernando Blvd. in Burbank. (818) 238-0371. Hours are Sun to Thur 10am to 10pm, Fri and Sat 10am to 12am.

The store is partners with A&S Books, which owns Crown Books, which runs the Web site. Two reviews on Yelp give it the thumbs up.

The online and mail order retailer Garnet Hill sells women's clothes by Eileen Fisher and similar styles, kids clothes, and home gear. Basically it's one stop shopping for moms. They have a sale of the day and today there is one item in each category.

An Eileen Fisher fine cotton cardigan is $74 (orig $118). Lace trimmed tanks for girls and toddlers are $16 (orig $20 and $22). Vibrant red, orange, and pink flowers perk up blue 200-thread count sheets, above, which are sold separately.

Thanks, Sarah!

The price of a first class stamp, now $.41, goes up to $.42 May 12. (Inflation and all that jazz.) That means it's a great time to buy $.41 Forever stamps, which are still good after the price goes up.

The post office has stocked 5 billion Forever stamps to meet demand. You can buy them at post offices, contract postal units, consignment locations, automated postage centers, vending machines, and online.

Saving a penny per stamp does not make sense if you
a) hate going to the post office
b) have a history of losing stamps
c) don't mail letters
d) already buy rolls of 100 at Costco for a few pennies off

You can also buy discounted postage stamps from collectors looking to unload their goods.

Two's Company Interiors, which decorates homes for sale with furniture and artwork, is going out of business. They are selling small furniture items (end tables, mirrors, nightstands) and the office furniture the business has used (desks, file cabinets). Don't expect big items like couches or chairs because there won't be any. The owner is retiring because of the crummy housing market. Small furniture items run $50 to $125 and art work (contemporary, Western, Swedish and Americana paintings and prints) run $15 to $300, an employee said.

Sale starts Friday and ends Tuesday. Hours are Friday from 8:30 to 4:30, Sat and Sun from 8:30 to 3:30, and Mon and Tue 8:30 to 4:30. Visit them at 20620 Plummer St. in Chatsworth near Lamps Plus on the south side of the street. Parking and entrance in back. Thanks, Theresa!

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!

Get $10 off your tab of $30 or more at Bed, Bath and Beyond stores now until April 20, 2008. Not good online. You can print this coupon more than once, though I think you can only use one per transaction.

Caveats: not good on gift cards and the following brands: All-Clad, Nautica®, Tempur-Pedic®, Wusthof®, AeroGrow, Margaritaville®, The Sharper Image, DKNY, Tommy Bahama®, Wedgwood®, Lenox®, Waterford®, Vera Wang, Nambe®, Riedel, Orrefors Kosta Boda, Oreck®, Capresso, Miele, kate spade, Swarovski,
Versace, Alessi, Richard Ginori, and Frette Home products.

A men's valet with room for a watch, keys, wallet, sunglasses, cuff links and other manly items is $20 after you use the coupon (sale price $30). Check to see that it's for sale in your local store because the coupon does not work online. Find a BBB near you.

A reader named Debbie called in to recommend NoHo Custom Framing in North Hollywood. She says they have "terrific deals and do beautiful work." She has checked around and believes they have some of the best prices around. The place got a stellar review on Yelp from a guy who said the shop did the piece at right for $50. I have never been there.

Visit them at 11410 Burbank Blvd., Suite 8, in North Hollywood. (818) 980-0114. Thanks, Debbie!

10% off thousands of items at Design Within Reach does not seem like a great deal to me, but I'm guessing the demand for their sleek, modern furniture is strong enough that even 10% will have the house proud calculating where a new chair will fit. DWR's stuff is gorgeous, after all. Warning: ample budget required.

A funky but really cool bookshelf, above, is $445 (orig $495). Browse all their categories, like bedroom, classics, seating, storage, and dining. Within each category there is an "on sale" tab at the bottom. Sale ends Tuesday, March 18. Find a store near you.

Get 100 business cards from Staples for $2 including shipping. Ends today! Click on the above link then look on the right for the box advertising the sale. When I click on the box the page comes up but doesn't load fully so I don't know if it is not working or just overloaded with people trying to get the deal.

Use coupon code 93128. Good online or over the phone (800-378-2753).

Now until Saturday, March 8 get $10 of your purchase of $25 or more at Office Depot stores. It's part of their grand opening event, but the coupon is good at all their stores. Good on supplies, furniture, cameras, printers, TVs and other stuff. Must have the coupon to get the discount. Find a store near you.

Caveats: not good on computers, gift cards, stamps, HP ink and toner, wireless, satellite Internet, technology or installation. Not good online.

Sears mondo tool sale ends Saturday. All the tools on this page are half off, including a 12-inch tool bag for $5 (orig $10) and a Craftsman mini digital multimeter for $10 (orig $20).

A Craftsman 245 -piece tool set that comes with a three-drawer chest is $200 (orig $250). A similar 263-piece tool set for $170 (orig $270) has already sold out online but check if it's available at your local store or if they will give you a rain check.

Browse all the tool categories on sale by looking at the left hand column of this page. Find a Sears near you.

The Dock Downtown, a discount furniture and home furnishings store, is going out of business March 9 and until then everything is 20% off the lowest marked price. Here is their selection of upholstered sofas, which they claim are priced 40 to 80% below retail. No prices online but you can browse their selection of beds, chairs, and dining room chairs. They also sell ottomans, sleeper sofas, benches and tables.

Visit them at 1481 East 4th St. in Los Angeles. (323) 446-0281 ext. 201. Hours are Thursday through Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday and Monday from 11 to 5. Cash and credit card only. Parking on site is free. From the Valley take 101 South or 5 South, exit 4th st, turn right onto 4th and the store is between Clarence and Anderson.

Get $10 off orders of $70 or more at Petsmart online until March 31, 2008. Use promo code SAVEMAR in caps when checking out. It comes up right at the beginning of the checkout process, which is nice because you know right away if it is working. Until March 17 all toys are 10% off and Flexi retractable leashes are 20% off until March 31. A 24 oz box of IAMS puppy biscuits is $3.50.

Caveats: limit one coupon per customer per transaction. Not valid with any other discount or offer.

Those jersey cotton sheets I was salivating over last week are now on sale for $10 at Target (orig $20). I dropped by this morning to check the quality and decided they were soft enough to buy a set, which will replace our red flannel sheets that my Mom gave me when I went to college. (They kept me very warm on the East Coast but now have a few holes.) The set includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillow cases. I do hope they get a little softer with washing, however.

Many other sheet sets, towels and bathmats are on sale through March 8, 2008. Looks like the sale is also online. Scroll down to where it says Weekly Ad, then click on sheets or towels. Find a Target near you.

Thinking of sprucing up your yard for Easter? Head to Smith & Hawken's garden sale to get 20% off garden structures, arches, edgers, and window boxes. If only I had some dirt to dig my hands into. For those who do, a steel twining arch is $175 (orig $219) and spreadable trellises are $33 to $38. A little wooden bridge that adds whimsy to any yard, right, is $159 (orig $199).

Browse all the sales here. Unclear how long the sale lasts. Find a Smith & Hawken near you.

Get $20 off $120 at Overstock.com. Expires March 3, 2008. A cherry veneer bed frame with simple, open lines, above, is $430 (orig $829). Browse their computers and electronics, home improvement items, and bedroom furniture.

Caveats: discount excludes books, music, movies and games.

Spring is around the corner and that means it's time to get gardening. It is time to plant herbs and vegetables, shade-loving vines like Boston Ivy, spring perennials, elephant ear and caladium bulbs, according to my Home Depot Garden Club flyer.

Before you start digging, spend a little time creating a plan for what will go where. Pencil and paper always helps you remember what you decided. Also leave time to clean up last year's garden - raking leaves, pulling weeds, and prepping the soil. May be a good idea to check your watering system for leaks or adjust for the new plants and tune up mowers and power tools. Start now and by March 20 - the first day of spring - you will already have a few plants in the ground!

I like Green Thumb in Canoga Park (21828 Sherman Way) for gardening advice and the wide range of plants they stock. OSH and Home Depot have cheaper plants but you have to watch more closely for quality. And it's almost impossible to find someone if you have a question. If you do track someone down, forget about them actually knowing anything about plants. OSH has a direct link from its home page to various coupons, many for garden items.

Get $20 off your purchase of $150 or more at Staples now through Thursday Feb 28. Very few exclusions! Good in stores, online or over the phone. Print the coupon or enter code 17794 when buying online or over the phone (1-800-333-3330).

Caveats: not good on services, gift cards, postage stamps or prior purchases. Find a Staples near you.

Looks like this discount can be used on goods from any part of the store when you shop Target online. Expires March 1, 2008. When checking out use coupon code TC749CY2. I like these forest green jersey sheets for $20 for king, queen, CA king, full or twin. My friend has jersey sheets and they were so soft and warm I thought it was flannel at first touch.

You can also get free shipping on tabs of $50 or more when you buy from these categories: men's, women's, kids' clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories, baby gear, bed and bath, home décor and lighting. No coupon needed for free shipping.

When my mom offered to cover all my books in college I was relieved because I knew they added up to $300+ per semester. My chemistry book alone cost $112 and it was only for one semester! Now students can turn to Chegg.com, a Web site that rents textbooks.

Prices are about 40 percent of the list price of a new book, according to a story by the Kansas City Star in Missouri. For every book rented Chegg.com will plant a tree. Students buy a tree in textbooks every year, according to the site.

Another textbook rental site is BookRenter.com, which boasts prices 50 percent to 75 percent below retail. Rental periods range from 1 to 4 months and shipping is included in the book price.

Both are great sources to check out if you can't find the books you need used.

My mother is reading it. My Aunt is reading it. And at a gathering of friends this weekend I found out three of them were reading it. "Three cups of tea" is a non-fiction book about a mountaineer who winds up in an isolated village in Pakistan after he fails to climb K2 on the China/Pakistan border. Depressed and desolate, the climber, Greg Mortenson, is taken in by the villagers and so impressed with their generosity he promises to return and build a school. The book is on the New York Times bestseller list and so with so many peeps reading it, I figured I should look into the best places to buy it.

Amazon has it for $17.13 new or used from $13 and up. Overstock.com has it for $8.11 for the hardcover. Harvard Booksellers has it for $7.18. eBay

has many copies at rock bottom prices but with shipping and handling it adds up to about as much as other retailers. HotBookSale has it in paperback for $4.90 with free shipping. Other low prices for the book are listed on Google Shopping.

Of course the best price - free - is at the LA public library, where most copies are checked out or in transit. But you can place a hold on the book to get the next available copy. They will even deliver it to the branch of your choosing!

Unlike most of Borders' coupons, this one does not require you to be a member. Until February 27, 2008 get 20% off the list price of one item at Borders with this printable coupon.

Caveats: not good online or towards previous purchases, gift cards, magazines, comics, special orders, electronics (including Zune and the Sony Reader), coffee, Rosetta stone products, or shipping.

Find a store near you. Happy reading.

I am salivating over this sale because I loooooove to buy organization stuff. What better than a piece of colorful plastic to help me battle the world's chaos? But let's get down to business.

The Container Store sale lasts until April 15, which is appropriate because it is being called a tax sale.

A white monthly magnetic calender is $16 (orig $20). Blue and green are not on sale. My neighbor has one and not only is she super busy, but super organized and on the ball. The aptly named mighty magnet rounds are $10 (orig $13). Lots more file folders, mesh file holders, and choas-eliminating tools.

Browse all the sale stuff. The site also provides "expert help" on a variety of organizing questions, like To Keep Or Not To Keep. Find a store near you.

And you thought the madness of shopping at 3 am for super sales was limited to the winter holidays. Well, think again. Kmart is offering extra discounts this weekend if you shop overnight - from 10 pm to 6 am. Here are their nightowl discounts:

Get an extra 20% off all My First Craftsman Toys, like this kiddie sized Ford F-150, for $160 (so you'd save $32 off that). Pretty much all the other MFC toys are $5 to $20 so losing sleep over a few bucks seems crazy.

Get an extra 15% off all small appliances, and get a five-drawer Craftsman tool organizer for $100 (orig $150). Get an extra 10% off bikes, patio furniture, and car seats. Read all their nightly sales here.

Looks like you can also get the discounts online. Find a Kmart near you.

Today through Monday furniture discounter The Dock Downtown is having a huge President's Day sale, says Bargainsla. Look for markdowns up to 50% on coffee tables, media cabinets, dining tables, and chairs, patio furniture, consoles and more. They have modern and traditional pieces.

BargainsLA found a teak criss cross bookshelf for $463 (orig $950) and a teak TV console with glass doors and drawers for $398 (orig $795). To get an extra $50 off your tab of $250+ print out this page from BargainsLA.

Visit them at 1481 East 4th St. in Los Angeles. (323) 446-0281 ext. 201. Hours Thur to Sat 10 to 6, Sun to Mon 11 to 5. Free on site parking. Delivery is $105 and up for five pieces.

Home Depot is having a President's Day sale this weekend (prez day is Monday Feb 18). Get 20% off 1 and 5 gallons of Behr paint, including interior and exterior paint, primer and decorative finishes. Four-packs of compact florescent bulbs are $7 and slide dimmers are $6.50 each (orig $10). A low-flow toilet is $99.

Not too early to think about spring planting. A three-gallon azalea is $4 (orig $5) and six-packs of annuals are $2. Sale ends Monday, Feb 18, with some prices good to Feb 20. Browse the entire weekly ad. Find a Home Depot near you.

If you like to buy environmentally friendly products for home and organic, but pretty clothes and bedding, Gaiam.com is the place to shop online. And since this kind of political correctness has a substantial price tag, the winter clearance catalog sale is the time to shop there. Up to 75 percent off!

There's all sorts of things from cute organic and yoga clothes to bedding. I have bought much of my linens from Gaiam because I'm picky about the materials I sleep and wash with. And I have never been disappointed in its quality, durability or attractiveness. I've got my eye on the organic cotton percale sage duvet cover ($79) and maybe some sheets to go with it. Don't the butter ones look delish? I've got some pillowcases from this set that I love.

I'm also keen on this sleeveless hoodie, for only $15! And this organic t-shirt for $4. Since I hate gift wrapping, I might stock up on these recycled gift bags and since I have two large dogs who think making stains is part of their job description, I might try this organic pet stain remover for $6.

Lots and lots to choose from. And, if like me, you become a regular sale shopper ( I almost never buy anything from their site full price), you will get nifty things like the $10 off coupon when I spend more than $100, which I certainly will if I buy those sheets.

Happy and healthy hunting on Gaiam.com

How romantic! Get 15% off washers and dryers at Sears thru Valentine's Day. A Whirlpool high efficiency front loader is $620 (orig $730). Search all their washer and dryers.

Sears will deliver your new W/D free and haul away your old machine if you spend $400 or more and mail in a rebate. Ask about it when you make your purchase. Find a store