This free app makes it possible for iPhone users to check current offers and make purchases directly from their mobile device. The app includes a push notification which lets users know about future deals and when deals are about to end. Shoppers have access to Amazon’s mobile shopping site which provides a secure way of making a purchase while on the go. Amazon Deals app also makes it possible to schedule delivery directly to your door.

In a press release available on Amazon.com, “With Amazon Deals, no matter where they are, our customers can stay connected and informed on deals in their favorite categories and purchase from their iPhone immediately, before they sell out, so they never have to miss another deal,” said Sam Hall, director of Amazon Mobile.

The Amazon Deals app makes it possible for customers to save money beyond that of the normal low prices offered by Amazon.com. With access to Gold Deals and Lightning Deals, shoppers can rest assured they will never again miss out on rock-bottom prices. At the same time, customers will appreciate features which they have come to expect from Amazon.com such as detailed product information and customer reviews. For the die-hard shopper, this new app has features which allow the user to set reminders and category specific notifications on everything from electronics to jewelry according to the press release.

To learn more about this new app visit www.amazon.com/dealsapp. You can also find the Amazon Deals for iPhone app at the App Store or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore.

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Deals App Released For iOS Users was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Many people go straight to university after leaving high school, but for people without scholarships or grants, this can cost a lot of money. Because universities offer many different amenities, they charge a lot more for their classes and other things. The current economic climate may make it difficult in not impossible to continue your education past high school. Before you or your child starts college, there are a few things that you may want to consider.

A lot of people follow the misconception that community colleges offer a lesser education than universities. This is not true, at least in most cases. Most community colleges offer all of the basic classes that universities offer, and some of the more unique classes. The great thing about community colleges is that they offer such a wide range of classes, and they are a lot more flexible than university classes. On top of that, most of these classes cost a lot less at community college. Some classes can cost between $190-300, while university classes can run that much per credit hour, sometimes even more.

While you usually can’t finish off a 4 year degree at community college, you can receive an Associates degree, which is the equivalent of a two year degree. With this degree you can transfer your credits to a university. This way, you’ll have saved yourself two years worth of tuition, while still achieving the end goal. Check with your counselor to ensure your credits are transferable to the university you plan on attending. You don’t want to pay for and earn credits that you are not able to use toward your four year degree.

Community college also offers more flexibilty than many universities. You can easily arrange your schedule to fit with your life, where in university you have to arrange your life around college. Going to community college can help you to transition into college, instead of suddenly being thrown into a new life.

While most community colleges are starting their sessions very soon, there is still time to enroll. If you’ve missed the cut off date, or if school in your area has already started, keep community college in your mind for next semester. Community college is a great way to earn your Associates degree without spending bundles of money. You will still receive the same education as you would at a university, and chances are you’ll be able to take a more hands-on approach with your classes. Look into the community college in your area to see if this an affordable alternative than four years at a university.

Save Money By Attending Community College was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

What Type of Plants Should You Grow?

The best food to grow in your garden is probably tomatoes. These are easily maintained, and produce a lot of fruit. Tomatoes are also somewhat expensive in the markets now, because of rising gas prices. Growing your own tomatoes means you can have them whenever you want, in a higher quantity, without paying anything extra. If you are looking to save money by growing fruits and vegetables, you should avoid strawberry plants. While homegrown strawberries are delicious, their plants tend to produce very little fruit in relation to the cost of the plant. You would be better off buying a full package of strawberries from the market.

Growing your own food, when done correctly, can be a great way to save at least a small amount of money during these hard times. Even if only ten dollars is saved, it’s ten dollars more than you would have had. It is also a great way to keep you and your family safe from dangerous pesticides that are sometimes used in supermarket fruits and vegetables. Don’t try to grow all of your vegetables in your garden, but if you select a few that you use a lot during the week and try growing them, you may save yourself a good amount of money. Grow wisely, and you’ll be amazed how much it pays off.

Grow In This Economy was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Many of us are coupon clippers, hoping to save even a little bit of money on everyday needs. We also shop around for deals on different products, just in case we find a deal that seems like a steal. But sometimes these deals aren’t much of a deal at all. Here are a few tips to getting the most out of coupons and sales.

Buy One Get One Free: Depending on what you’re buying, buy one get one free may be a great deal. But don’t get caught up in the prospect of getting twice what you’re paying for least you spend money you didn’t need to spend. Sometimes the price of the item has been increased just so the company won’t lose much money on the deal. Be careful buying perishable items BOGO. Unless you plan on using them quickly, or need them in a larger quantity, you may be wasting money. If the item spoils before you ever get to use it, what was the point of getting it at a lower price?

Percentage Off: Usually these deals work out pretty well because they are straight forward. Sometimes though, you have to read the fine print. It may be 30% off, but only after you spend a certain amount of money. This may tempt you to buy more than you originally needed just to get the discount, but is it really worth it? Don’t push yourself to buy something just to get the sale price. You may spend more money in the long run by trying to justify deals than if you would pay the straight price for the item you actually need.

Clipping Coupons: If you want to save money with coupons, try clipping them for things that you know you will need, not just the cheapest things that you can find in the coupon list. You may also need to be careful with certain coupons, because they apply the same tactic as percentages off. It may be thirty cents for a can of olives after you buy three other cans. You will end up buying more of an item than you need or want just to meet the requirements set forth in the coupon.

Free Gift: Don’t buy something just because it comes with a free gift. Chances are this gift is something that you don’t really need, or it is not worth the cost of the product you bought. This may seem like a steal, but most times is not worth the paper on which the deal is printed. The one place that may be great for free gifts with is with the purchase of cosmetics in major retail stores.. In this case you may be able to secure a brand name product, either cosmetics or fragrances as a gift along with your purchase.

Don’t be suckered in with certain deals. Read the fine print, and shop wisely. When it comes to getting a good deal you could either save a lot of money or end up spending more than you originally planned or needed to in the first place.

It Is Only A Deal If You Save Money was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Each year, companies come out with a whole slew of electronics for consumers to buy. They’re flashy, fancy, and sometimes a complete rip-off. The prospect of having a new, shiny toy is tempting for a lot of people, but if you are careful and practical, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and a lot of money in the long run.

Don’t Fall for Gimmicks: Just because something is a brand name, like Apple, doesn’t necessarily mean it is better than the lesser known brands. Instead of buying something for its name, buy something for the actual product. Go to a few different stores and test out the products before you buy them, and try out all different brands. Instead of just looking at an iPod, look at all different kinds of MP3 players. You may find a great deal on something comparable that usually is ignored because it is not a name brand.

Don’t Upgrade Each Year: Apple comes out with new iPods and iPhones every year, but that does not mean you need a new one. Many people make the mistake of buying a new iPod each year, because that’s when a new one comes out. Usually these iPods function exactly the same as the old one, with a few new little gadgets. This is not worth spending another $300 for something practically the same as what you already own. Don’t waste your money just because it’s a little fancier. If your current model functions and meets your needs save some money and skip the upgrade.

Buy What You Need: If you family has a television that works just fine, don’t go out and buy a new flat screen just because it is the “in” thing. Unless you’re really looking for high-def, you may be wasting a lot of money. Instead, buy something you need. If your DVD player stopped working, get a new one. But don’t just get a new one because it is thinner or looks a little nicer. You can also apply this in the sense that you should buy electronics that you will use for a few years. DVD players, televisions, and computers are a good example of products that you can get a few years of service out of if cared for properly.

If you follow these tips, and shop around before you buy electronics, you can save yourself a lot of money and have electronics that you can enjoy for years to come. Avoid the impulse to go bigger and better just because there is a new model on the store room shelf.

Avoid Rip-Offs When Buying Electronics was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

• Make a list- Shopping without a list of items you need is one of the easiest ways to buy things that you either do not need or can not afford. This applies to grocery shopping, car shopping, house shopping; know what your needs are and how much you can afford to spend before hitting the stores.

• Take inventory- Merchants are likely chomping at the bit with the upcoming back-to-school season approaching. Traditionally this time of year is very profitable for retailers, with only Christmas and Mother’s Day bringing in more business. Before you even step foot inside a store however you should first take inventory of what items on your list (see above) that you already have at home from the previous school year. After all, the kids just got out of school in June, so many of the things they have left over from the year before can work for the upcoming year. Backpacks, lunch boxes and certain school supplies don’t expire when the final bell rings, so there is no need to replace perfectly useful items just because it is a “new” year.

• Set a budget and stick to it- Once you have determined what you must buy new, set and stick to a budget that will not place additional strain on your finances. This may involve talking to your kids about how much money is available to spend so they understand before heading out to the store that once that number has been reached, shopping is over. Of course this is easier said then done, as many children simply do not understand financial restrictions, however addressing the issue before you are in the midst of a shopping trip will be easier than going over the budget in the check-out line.

• Start early- You can save money and your sanity by starting early. Pick up a few items here and there and begin to build the back-to-school cache before the retailers launch their back-to-school specials (which often are not that special). Not only will this be more easily absorbed in your budget, but you can probably do this on the side without the kids noticing which can make it much easier than a full blown shopping trip with all the kids loading the shopping cart faster than you can tally the total. By starting early you can also take advantage of online shopping without worrying if the product will arrive in time for the first day of school.

The back-to-school shopping trip is like many other events throughout the year when we have become accustomed to spending money. In light of the recent changes in the economy and the shift in consumer spending this might be a good time to change that pattern. After all, it is not like days gone by when your kids only got clothes once or twice per year. Most kids get new clothes throughout the year, so if you don’t buy all your fall and winter clothes the last week of August there is a good chance your kids won’t freeze. Take your time, heed your budget and don’t go overboard and you should be able to get the kids back-to-school without breaking the bank.

Back-To-School Shopping Tips was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

• Become a member of a fan club- Your favorite performer most likely has their own website which often sells merchandise, tickets and other goodies for members of their fan club. You may qualify for discounted tickets or a package that offers other goodies as well.

• Box office can be your best bet for great seats at a low price- Try to box office to see if you can get a good deal on great seats. Don’t forget to check back often as ticket availability may change throughout the tour.

• Start looking early- There are usually pre-sale opportunities prior to the date the tickets “officially” go on sale to the rest of the public. This is where being a member of a fan site may also come in handy as pre-sale opportunities are often announced on band websites. Certain credit card issuers also offer a jump on the official sale date of tickets.

• Check out promotions which may offer free tickets- Radio stations and major businesses in your area often have great tickets which you may win by participating in a contest or simply calling in at the designated time. Don’t forget acts that may perform at fairs or other venues where you may be able to take in a concert which is included in the cost of admission.

• Shop online- As with all things in this age of technology, sometimes the best deal can be found by simply spending a little bit of time comparison shopping online. Find out if there are promotional or coupon codes which will reduce the price of your ticket even lower than the advertised price.

• Last minute sales- With more people either unable or unwilling to spend money on summer entertainment, many tours which would otherwise be sold-out end up having tickets available right up until the date of the concert. If you are either late to the game getting a ticket or have decided to roll the dice and see if you can get a better deal at the last minute you may be in luck as sellers rush to unload remaining tickets.

As you can see there are many ways you can save money on concerts this summer. These tips will also work for other forms of summer entertainment such as sporting events or other shows. If you have a few dollars to spare, go ahead and take in a show this summer- you deserve the break.

How To Get Good Deals On Summer Entertainment was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Restructure Work Schedules

One way to avoid having to pay an outside provider for child care services is to try and reschedule work hours. If you are a two-parent family, you could consider having one person work nights while the other works days – so there is always a parent available to care for the children. Alternatively, you could work opposite days – with one parent working weekends and the other working weekdays for example. Both of these alternative schedules will make it possible to avoid paying child care expenses, but keep in mind they will almost eliminate family time.

Single Parent Trade-Off

If you are a single parent, you might consider looking for another single parent who works different hours or days from you, and trading child care. You’ll be helping each other financially, and if you select the person with care, find a quality child care provider and playmates for your child(ren).

Extended Family

Do you have parents who are retired, an aunt or uncle, or another family member who might be able to help out a few days a week and reduce the number of days you need child care? Family members often jump at the chance to spend quality time with their grandchildren, nieces or nephews, so they may be happy you asked them for some babysitting assistance.

Federal Child and Dependent Care Credit

At tax time, you can deduct your child care expenses on your federal tax return. Most states have an additional tax credit for child care expenses which will help reduce the amount of tax you owe. You can claim child care credits whether you use a day care service, preschool or in-home babysitter. Be sure to check the facts with the IRS.

School-Aged Children

If your children attend school, try to fit your work hours into their school hours. Some employers allow flexible scheduling. At the very least, if you are working around the same hours your child is in school, you may only need to pay for child care for a couple hours a day rather than a full day of care which can save you considerably.

How to Save on Child Care Expenses was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

As the global economic recession continues to grip the World’s major economies the general consumer has certainly begun to feel the pinch and now, more than ever, is the time to make sure you’re getting the best deals you can. Stability, maintenance and consistency is the mantra of many consumers; those content to navigate the same waters they always have, not wanting to rock the boat and risk straying into uncharted financial waters. However, in today’s consumer market, with it’s myriad of competing outlets, getting out there and exploring all the avenues could be the best way to beat the credit crunch.

Price comparison websites have proliferated over the past few years because they take out the effort for the consumer and compare hundreds, if not thousands, of the latest deals on whatever utility or commodity you desire. The ability to filter results based on price, reliability, value and even environmental efficiency means that users can tailor the results to their individual criteria and find the best deals for them. Many of the sites also offer and range of extra discounts or incentives to use their site to switch utility providers, meaning that comparing the comparison sites is also a must for the shrewd consumer.

Listed below are three of the best comparison sites:

www.pricegrabber.com

This site is nifty in the fact that it lets you browse both new and used items for sale in order to find the best deal. Once you become a member you have the options to read and discuss product reviews in their forums, receive email alerts when a product on your watch list drops in price and also set-up a virtual store front to sell items of your own. The site has also recently introduced free shipping on all its products meaning shoppers don’t have to traipse around the shops in order save on delivery costs and still find the best deals around. The also site bookmarks the most popular deals which are updated daily as well as featuring a deal of the week to help customers stay one step ahead of the price comparison game.

http://www.google.com/products

Froogle Google is BETA offering from the Google Empire which utilises their leading search engine technology to help shoppers find the best prices for their products. In the same manner one would conduct any Google search a user can input the type of product they are looking for and within seconds they are provided with a fully customisable list of the current deals. For added convenience many items are also linked to the Google checkout allowing users to search, find and purchase in just a few clicks of their mouse which means there is simply no reason why taking time to find a better deal isn’t something all consumers should be doing.

www.lowermybills.com

It’s not just home and leisure products where price comparison sites can help save you money. Sites such as lowermybills offer users not only the best deals to help reduce their finances but also useful tips and advice on cost cutting measures, as well as various mortgage calculators to help home owners assess the best deals. Whether you’re looking to lower your monthly internet bills, find the best loan deals or change your insurance policy this site can help you compare the market in virtually seconds.

With so many options to choose from it can be a daunting task having to find the best deal which is why many people opt to play it safe and visit the local store. Convenience, however, often doesn’t offer the best prices and in a time when every cent counts it makes sense take the time a do a bit of research before making that all important purchase. With so many price comparison sites to choose from offering thousands of dollars of savings on just as many products there is no better way to beat the recession than to start changing the way you shop and start comparing today.

How Do You Compare? Save Money By Comparing Prices was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

1) If you really must use a gym for motivation or lack of space to work out at home; the time to join is RIGHT NOW.  Gyms are pretty smart, they know that January marks the time of year when people are declaring their goals for losing weight.  To help encourage people, gyms offer specials for joining in January.  If you’re going to join a gym, look for one offering a New Year special and save big.  Sometimes if you pay a year’s membership in advance, you can save even more – just be sure you aren’t going to be among the 80% of people who give up on their resolutions within 30 days of making them!

2) Set up an inexpensive and small scale home gym.  Gone are the days when you need a full basement or extra room to house bulky exercise equipment and racks of dumbells just to get your workout done at home.  There are a number of gadgets on the market that get your strength training done without breaking the bank or using half your home.   The Gravity Bar secures in a door way and for less than $100, you can strength train with some fancy gravity based moves, like push-ups, pull-ups, bicep curls, lunges, dips and more.  If you remember to go for a walk, jog or ride your bike, you’ll have a complete cardio and strength training work out available right from home.

3) Join organized activities for good causes.  There are Walks-for-cures, runs and triatholons for all different illnesses and diseases, used as fundraising events all over the country.  Joining organized events like these will motivate you to train for the event and keep focused on the goal.   You’ll probably have to raise money as part of the requirements, but people like to know they’re supporting worthwhile causes like cancer, autism, or MS to name a few, and you can feel good about improving your own health and helping other people with theirs, too.

4) Check your local schools, YMCA and your employer for organized sports you could participate in.  Many offer adult teams that allow you to participate in the sport of your choice for fun, light competition and exercise.  The fees for being part of the teams vary, and if you’re lucky enough to have an employer-sponsored sports team, chances are you won’t have to pay anything at all to join.

5) Incorporate more activity into your daily routine.  If you live close enough to work or school, walk or ride a bike instead of driving or catching a ride.  Sure, you’ll have to leave a little earlier and it will take longer to get home, but this burst of daily activity will go a long way to helping you get or stay in shape and save money on transportation costs.  Other ways to incorporate more activity into a daily routine include:

• using the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator
• parking further away from your destination and walking the distance
• pacing or walking around when talking on the phone
• tightening stomach muscles while sitting at work at your desk
• stretching and doing floor exercises during commercials of your favorite television shows
• doing lunges as you walk from one room to another in your home

It is possible to keep your New Year’s resolutions to both save money and stay in shape – you just have to think outside the box a little… and remember you’ll need more than willpower to keep your new year’s resolution.

5 Ways to Save Money and Stay in Shape was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

A special day to celebrate the birth of your child, nothing should be more joyous. Unless of course you are like me and

Budget-set it and forget it.

The first thing you have to do is determine how much money you can afford to spend on the party. Once you have a number in mind that you are comfortable with, stick to it. If you are working on a tight budget consider cutting other “entertainment” for the month and apply that money toward your party budget.

Decorate for a dollar.

Not a single dollar of course, but consider shopping at your local discount/dollar store for you party decorations. You can find great deals on balloons, cards, paper plates, silverware and decorations that will make your party look great without busting your budget.

Party food for the kids.

Many people blow their budgets in the food department. When you really think about it, kids aren’t worried about food. In most cases the parents are FAR more worried about what kind and how much food is available than the kids attending. Some simple kid friendly foods that you may want to consider are hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, pizza,cookies, punch and of course the birthday cake.

What will they do?

Now that you know you don’t need to worry about the food, you can begin focusing on the entertainment. Games will vary based on the age of your child and this is one area that will require a bit of creativity. One thing you should take into consideration is having multiple things going on at one time: board games in one area, a face painting station, a movie playing in the background. Kids have short attention spans, if you offer more than one activity at a time you are likely to keep all the kids happy and entertained.

Remember most kids just want to have a good time with their friends and loved ones. There is no need to go overboard and max out your credit cards for an afternoon that you can just as easily provide for a reasonable price.

Throw A Great Kids’ Party On A Budget was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

• Child Tax Credit. You might be able to reduce the federal income tax you owe up to $1,000 for qualifying children under the age of 17. Several factors determine if a child is eligible- a few of which are: age, relationship to you, citizenship, support provided and if the child has lived with you over half of the year. Depending on your income level and number of children this tax credit may result in a refund.

• Child and Dependent Care Credit. To be eligible for this tax credit you must have a child or qualifying dependent who receive paid care while you are at or looking for work. The child or dependent adult must be physically or mentally incapable of taking care of themselves. There are other factors that are considered when determining eligibility for this tax credit.  Your income level, the payee (cannot be someone you claim as a dependent or a person under the age of 19), your filing status, if the dependent lives in your home and any other dependent care benefits you receive will all be taken into consideration.

• Residential Energy Tax Credit. Tax credits for for energy efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, etc.) which had previously expired in 2007 are now applicable for 2009. Keep in mind you will not be able to use this tax credit for improvements made in 2008, however if you have any plans for improvements in the upcoming year they will be eligible.

• Credit for Retirement Savers. If you are over 18 and contributing to a 401(k), IRA, or other tax favored retirement plan you may be eligible for the retirement plan savers tax credit. Based on your adjusted gross income (AGI) and amount of contributions you made you may be able to trim up to $1000 off your tax bill. (Note: full time students are not eligible for this tax credit.)

 These are just a few of the common tax credits available. Tax time will come and go just like the holiday seasons, however being ill prepared for this time of year can cost you considerably more.

Do You Qualify For These Common Tax Credits? was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Also included in this weeks carnival:

Accumulating Money tells us What to do before age 30 to set you on a firm financial path.  I am running out of time, only 2 years left to conquer this list!

I wrote a little something at DestroyDebt.com, about Managing Your Money with a Preparation Account.  It’s a new take on the emergency account, and you actually use the money that’s in there.

Mighty Bargain Hunter warns us that $12-$15 per gallon of gas is coming… Pay $15 for Gas Now to prepare for these days.  I can’t imagine. I’m scared. I’m glad I work from home!

Discover Debt Freedom gives us 5 Financial Rules to live by.

See them all by visiting The Carnival of Personal Finance #154.

It’s Carnival of Personal Finance Time, #154 was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

I decided to create an account so I could see how it works and exactly what it would do.  I also figured if there was a charge to be made for the service I would definitely discover it when signing up.

So after creating an account (took less than a minute), I found I could add my checking, credit cards, savings and brokerage accounts to the system.  Immediately, I decided to add Paypal, because the primary reason I bought the latest version of Quicken this year was because it had Paypal support – supposedly it would download my transactions from paypal and update my records in Quicken like it does bank accounts.  It never worked for me, despite numerous customer support calls and emails.  I tried making it worke very day for 2 months actually, and still receive customer support emails that tell me to inactivate/activate the account and see if it works now!  Anyway, I decide to put Mint.com to the test and enter my Paypal account first.

Within a few seconds, Mint had connected to my Paypal account, downloaded transactions and displayed an accurate balance.  Amazingly enough, the transaction section knew how to deal with all the repeat entries Paypal generally includes (a pending entry, invoice entry, and actual money-changing-hands-entry).

On a variety of tabs, I was able to see how I was spending the money in my account, received suggested ways to save more, a pie chart and a listing that showed me what I was doing with the money in this account at a glance.   It took me less than 5 minutes to discover all of this with the one account I entered, and I can’t wait to enter all of my other bank accounts.

If you are looking to take better control of your financial situation, I think you’ll want to try out your Mint.com account.  I’m sincerely impressed, and from what I can tell- this rivals the Quicken software… and it was completely free.

Website Review: Mint.com was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Other favorite posts this week for me included:

1. Debt Freedom Fighter’s great ideas for spending your tax refund.
2. Digerati Life gives us tips for changing jobs based on her recent experience.
3. Get Financially Fit tells us the easiest way to start a Roth IRA.
4. This girl plans to retire at age 35.  What do you think?
5. Daily Money Tips helps you prepare for a recession.

You can read the entire Personal Finance Carnival, hosted on BeingFrugal.net here: http://beingfrugal.net/2008/03/17/personal-finance-carnival-144/

Carnival of Personal Finance is Available was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

There are a number of websites that exist solely to provide their site visitors with coupon codes and discounts – for a wide variety of categories.  Basically, you could stop at one of these coupon/discount websites, select a category that represents what you need to buy, and see a list of available coupons or discounts for those items.  What I found was a website offering marvelous discounts for Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Kohl’s and other Internet department stores.

The #1-Coupons.com site surprised me because of how many stores they had listed. I very rarely buy anything myself without looking to see if I can get it cheaper somewhere else, or find a coupon, but this site has saved me quite a bit of time because it’s all in one spot.

I shop at Walmart a lot- both in the store and on the website.  Using $1-Coupons site, I was able to get coupon codes to save $12 on The Secret, a book that I’ve been dying to buy, at Walmart; and all of my Easter supplies from Oriental Trading Company at great prices that my local retailers couldn’t even touch.  Then I needed to get a baby shower gift for my sister in law; so I got her two sets of crib bedding, with a Babies R Us- buy one get one offer through the coupon site.

The offers on the site are all offers provided directly from the actual retail stores; but it just gives you a convenient way to see the various discounts and online coupons available to you without spending time searching for them all over the net.

Shopping Online Can Offer Additional Coupons and Discounted Offers was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Another avenue I take to find good deals on books, especially kid’s books, is at a thrift store, flea market or yard sale. It is not uncommon to find a current novel in great condition for a $1 or less. Kid’s books are usually $.25 and I would buy a book over a toy any day.

When I am done with the book, I simply do not have the space to store even half of the novels I read nor do I feel it is necessary to keep a collection. There are a few books I do keep but I don’t usually feel compelled to read something more than once. I keep a collection in a box and when it gets filled, I head over to the library. I enjoy seeing my donations in the ‘new releases’ section and feel good that other people will have the opportunity to read good books who otherwise may not be able to afford to buy it. I do the same with my child’s books. Once they have been read several times, we donate to them to the community or school library.

I believe in giving the gift of reading and I appreciate that others do the same. It a great feeling to go to the library and see that someone has donated the exact novel you have been wanting to read. It also has taught my child the importance of a library and the joys of reading.

How to Get Books for 1/10th of What Barnes & Noble Would Charge was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

The trick is to find sources of entertainment that you enjoy but that do not break the bank. Going to see a movie these days is expensive- with tickets around the $9 mark per person, and outrageous prices on snacks, you could easily drop $50 on a date to a two hour movie! If you love watching movies, why not consider Netflix or Blockbuster’s movie-in-the-mail plans? For about $20 a month, you can watch several movies, and you won’t pay late fees if you aren’t able to watch the movies right away. (Keep in mind though, the longer you have the movies, the less movies you’ll be able to watch in the month because of mail-times). Very soon, you’ll be able to rent movies online and watch them on your computer, as well, according to Apple Computers.

If you’re trying to take control of your unnecessary spending and your friends are going out for a night on the town- you shouldn’t stay home to avoid spending money! This is the fastest way to give up on a budget. Just take a few dollars with you so you aren’t tempted to spend more, and instead of ordering a full dinner- get an inexpensive appetizer and a glass of water. You still get to enjoy socializing time with your friends and at the same time you’re keeping your expenses to a minimum to keep your financial commitments as well.

Finally- not all good times have to cost money. You can get creative with your entertainment; why not take your date on a romantic walk around the park, and end with a picnic for two that you’ve packed from home on a blanket overlooking a scenic area? If you enjoy dancing, there is no rule that says to go to a club to dance with your friends you have to buy $5 drinks all night to enjoy a good time! Go for the dancing and the socializing, drink water to stay hydrated and skip the expensive drinks from the bar!

Fun Don’t Cost a Thing was created by and is property of American Consumer News.