Shop at Staples? Free Shipping on Anything Next Week -- No Minimum

If you shop at Staples.com, you probably know they offer free shipping on orders totaling over $50.00. But this coming week from October 12th to 18th, they are offering free shipping on delivery of any items you buy, regardless of the amount spent. So you can pick up some of those small items without having to spend gas to run to the store.

The only exception to this offer is custom products.

They're having some Columbus Day specials as well. So if you want to take a look and take advantage of the free shipping, click this link.

Armani Exchange Sale Up to 70% Off Plus Coupon Code for Extra 30% Off

If you'd like to check out some stylish clothes at Armani Exchange, they have a fall sale going on, with prices cut as much as 70%. Items for men and women are reduced, but there's more. They also have a coupon code that's good until October 13th which gets you 30% off your order. So you can combine the two and pick up some nice deals.

The coupon code is AXFALL. They also have shipping at just $6 (and free returns if you need to send back an item).

To shop their sale and apply the code by Monday the 13th, click this link.

Restaurant.com Promo Code for 70% Off -- $25 Dining Certificate for $3

Well, our friends at restaurant.com are back with their latest promo code, good for 70% off the purchase of dining certificates. Regular readers already know that they sell certificates for dining at thousands of restaurants around the country. The regular price for these certificates is $10.00 for a $25.00 dining credit (some restaurants also have lunch certificates valid for $10.00 worth of dining which normally cost $3.00).

So with the coupon code, you can purchase a $25.00 certificate for an amazingly low $3.00! A lunch $10.00 certificate is an almost absurd 90¢ -- unbelievable!

Each restaurant puts their own conditions on the certificates, but my experience has been that they are fairly easy to meet. Certificates represent a great way to try out a new restaurant or revisit an old favorite without putting too much of a dent in your wallet. They can also be great as gift ideas, or as a treat for kids away at college.

The promotional code, valid until October 13th, is SAVE. Make sure to enter it at checkout and hit 'apply' to see the savings applied to your certificate purchase.

If you want to check out the restaurants in your area, visit restaurant.com and take a look.

Kingston 2GB microSD Card $5.99 with Free Shipping

For anyone looking for a microSD card with a good-size capacity at a nice, low price, buy.com is selling the Kingston 2GB microSD card with a full-size SD adapter for just $5.99 with free shipping.

Kingston is one of the most highly regarded makers of memory. This card will come in handy for devices that need either the micro of full SD size, so it's versatile as you keep getting different devices in the future.

To take a look or place an order, click this link.

Wireless Music System for Your iPod 75% Off at $49.99

Things seem to run in cycles, and right now it seems there are some deals for accessories to make your iPod more useful. Must be the holidays coming up. Yesterday was a nice deal on an in-car iPod control system. Today there's a deal on the Creative Xdock Wireless Music System for iPod which retails for $199.99. Buy.com is selling it at $49.99 (75% Off) with free shipping.

With this system, you can place your iPod into the Xdock, place the X-Fi Wireless Receiver in any room of your home and connect it to your home entertainment system or to powered speakers. That's all it takes to set up your wireless music setup. It comes with remote controls for playback on your iPod, volume and the X-Fi technologies. (Additional X-Fi Wireless Recivers are available separately if you want to have your music in more rooms of your house).

System features include:
- Stream wire-free music from your iPod around your home
- Enhance your iPod audio with a high-quality Xtreme Fidelity sound system
- Easy plug-and-play setup with no configuration needed
- Dedicated audio transmission technology with uncompressed streaming

To check this out and see if you'd like this enhancement to your iPod experience, click the image below.

Cool! Great In-Car iPod Interface by Harmon Kardon Just $18.99

If you have an iPod you'd like to listen to inside your car, Harmon Kardon makes a great control system that lets you access songs and features much easier. It's the Harman Kardon DP1US Drive + Play in Vehicle iPod interface control system. And right now, Buy.com has slashed the price way down, from the retail of $149.99 all the way down to just $18.99 (with free shipping as part of the bargain).

If you know electronics and sound systems, you're familiar with the Harmon Kardon name for quality units. And the Drive + Play handles the iPod so well that it was given an Innovations Award at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show. At this price, you'll really want to check it out.

This isn't just an iPod adapter — it's a complete digital music control system for your car. The system's backlit LCD display mounts up high on the dash for easy visibility while driving (use appropriate caution when driving, of course). And since it matches the display on your iPod — with the same menu style and general layout — you already know how easy it is to jump between songs and artists.

But the Drive + Play system isn't just about an on-dash display. There's also a Text Commander Controller to handle file navigation with ease and elegance. Shaped like an oversized mushroom, this remote mount command center works just like the click wheel on your iPod — just press the outer buttons to play, pause, fast-forward, or reverse, and twist the knob to scroll through the menus. You can install it on your center console for a handy, easy-to-reach controller.

While your iPod is connected to the system, you'll be able to control every aspect of playback — from track selection to playlists. And best of all, the Drive + Play will charge your iPod battery while it's in use. (While the audio portion works with any iPod featuring an iPod dock connector, this system can charge any iPod except 4G Nano, 3G iPhone, 2G touch and 120GB Classic).

The central "brain" unit can be mounted out of the way in the glove box or under a seat, and a built-in wireless FM transmitter lets you play the iPod through your vehicle's FM radio. If your stereo has an auxiliary input, you can connect the Drive + Play's audio output to it for the best possible sound performance. The Drive + Play also offers a pass-through auxiliary input for connecting an additional component to your stereo system.

All this for just $18.99. Imagine how much handier this will make your iPod during those long drives.

If you want to check this out further, click the image below.

PNY 2GB Flash Drive Enhanced for Vista ReadyBoost Just $1.99 After Rebate

Update October 10th -- a comment posted to this informaed me that the price has been raised to $11.99, so the post-rebate price is $6.99. Still a good deal, and I love what ReadyBoost has done to speed up my system.

Have a PC or laptop that runs Vista? If so, you know that it can be a performance and memory hog on your system. Some applications can run very slowly and trying to do many tasks at once can be a bear.

One feature that Vista has, though, is the capability of ReadyBoost. That allows you to utilize memory in a compatible USB Flash Drive to increase the usable RAM on your system. So you can effectively increase your system's capacity without adding to the memory inside your system.

Well, how would you like to pick up a 2GB Flash Drive that's enhanced for ReadyBoost for just $1.99 (after rebate)? Right now, Circuit City is selling the PNY 2GB Optima Pro Attache Enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost for $6.99, reduced already from $24.99. But for purchases by October 18th, there's a $5.00 mail-in rebate, bringing your final cost down to just $1.99.

That's a drop in the bucket for all the flash drive memory you get, as well as the ReadyBoost capability. Even if you don't need the ReadyBoost (if you're running some kind of system other than Vista), it's still a great price for a 2GB flash drive.

The ReadyBoost feature will double your current RAM up to the capacity of the USB drive, so if you have 1GB on your PC or laptop, using this would give you a total of 2GB, not 3GB. If you have a system with 2GB, it would give you a total of 4GB.

They don't have it available for delivery at the moment, but you can order it on-line and pick it up at your nearest Circuit City.

To take a look and maybe order one, click this link.

ReadyBoost your machine while you boost your savings.

PJ Pals on Sale at Disney Outlet as Low as $3.99

If you know a youngster who loves Disney characters, you know they can't get enough. And why not let them wear some of those characters to bed to make their dreams sweeter?

Right now, the Disney outlet has a sale on a variety of PJ Pals featuring many of kids' favorite friends. A number of them are on sale for just $3.99 (over 75% off the original $16.50) and several others at $4.99.

Among the characters you can get for $3.99 are: Minnie, Mickey, Nemo, Power Rangers, Princess Ariel, Buzz Lightyear, Ratatouille and more.

The $4.99 selection includes Lightning McQueen, Toy Story, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and others too.

If you purchase over $50 worth of items, you can get $5 shipping for your whole order by applying promo code SHIPFOR5. If your purchase is over $75, your shipping can be free by applying code SHIP75.

To view all the PJ Pals on sale, click this link.

Free Download Today at Amazon: The Best Trails in America

For all you campers and backpackers: if you're looking for some ideas about great places to explore, amazon.com has a great deal today. They have a free download of "The Best Trails in America."

This 25-page guide has information on great places to spend a single-night stay, as well as places ideal for a week or longer. They cover places in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

There are full descriptions of each site, as well as information on permits, access, seasons, available guides and contact information.

If you want to explore some places you can explore, click this link today for the download.

Free 6-Piece Screwdriver Set at Harbor Freight Tool Stores

Always looking for screwdrivers to do those little jobs around the house? Here's a way to pick up an extra set to have in a utility drawer, closet, garage or wherever. Harber Freight Tools has a coupon good in-stores until October 7th for a free 6-piece Pittsburgh® screwdriver set.

There's no obligation to purchase anything else in the store, but the coupon is also valid for 15% any other single item in the store.

If you'd like to find a Harbor Freight store near you, click on this Store Locator.

To print out you free screwdriver set coupon, here's the link.

Right Now, Save an Extra 8% Off Your Ebay Purchases on Almost Anything!

Update December 8th -- Well after fluctuating up and down a bit, the percentage today shows at 8% -- I have a feeling that's about where the normal level will be, and it may change occasionally for special occasions. But I also want to update that I have received the first of my Cashback ransactions put back into my PayPal account, so this system is on the level.

Update November 28th -- The percentage is up at 30% today, possibly as a Black Friday special.

Update October 27th -- The Cashback percentage is now sitting at 25%. Whether it will go back up to 30% is anyone's guess, but 25% is still a nice percentage to get back on an ebay Buy-It-Now/PayPal combo purchase.

Update October 11th -- I checked again today and the Cashback percentage is back up to 30%. So they seem to adjust this with no rhyme or reason. If you're looking for something on ebay and can Buy-It-Now and pay with Paypal, it's a great extra savings.

Update October 7th -- Microsoft's Cashback percentage for ebay purchases has dropped down to 20% right now. There's no way of knowing if it will change again soon, drop even further or what. Hopefully some of you took advantage of the 30%, but if you find a great deal on ebay using a Buy-It-Now + Paypal purchase, an extra 20% still makes it a better buy. The same instructions for getting the Cashback link still apply.

Microsoft has a buying service that gets you cash back on purchases at many stores, similar to ebates, about which I've written. I'll discuss the Microsoft Cashback system in more depth in a blog soon, but right now I want to alert you about a way that's going on now to save even more when you shop on ebay.

Microsoft has a promotion now within Cashback that gets you 30% off your ebay purchases on items that you use Buy-It-Now and which you pay for by Paypal. I'm not sure how long this high percentage will be in effect, but getting back almost one-third of your amount sounds like a nice way to maximize the good deals you can find on ebay. If you want to give it a try, here's the deal:
It's valid for anything on ebay except cars and real estate; not valid on express.ebay.com or half.ebay.com. Again, only Buy-It-Now purchases qualify, not auction-style purchases. You have to use the ebay Paypal links to make your payment, not use any third party checkout system.

You have to make your purchase within 60 minutes of starting that on-line purchasing session, and the Cashback deal applies only to the first item you buy that session. You can get back up to $200.00 per online session. You're allowed a maximum of six Cashback purchases via this ebay promotion, so if you want to buy a second item, you should start a new purchasing session after you buy the first item.

As you're checking out and getting ready to make your purchase, you see a green Cashback logo, and it even tells you how much you'll receive back. After you make your Buy-It-Now purchase and pay for it with Paypal, they send you a message with a button to click to claim your cashback amount.

The money shows up in your Microsoft Cashback account within a day or less, but the amount can't be withdrawn until 60 days after your purchase (to protect the system in case of returns). Setting up a Microsoft Cashback account is free, and just requires some Microsoft e-mail address -- if you don't have one, you can get one free using msn.com or hotmail.com.

The funny thing is, you can't find this promotion at the Cashback homepage which lists all their participating stores. Here's how you get it:

Go to http://www.live.com/. You'll see a search box. Type in Wii and hit the green search button. The page that opens will have some links inside a light blue box at the top, and one of the first ones should say "Wii - www.ebay.com - $ Live Search Cashback" and underneath it will say "Buy Wii. You may get 30% off with Paypal if eligible." Click on the Live Search Cashback link and it will open an ebay session and a search for Wii systems. At the top of the page you'll see a green rectangle that shows "$ Microsoft Cashback 30%."

Don't worry -- you don't have to buy a Wii, it's just one search that gets you into ebay with the eligibility to qualify for the 30% cashback bonus. Then you have an hour to search for items you might want to check, whether other electronics, clothes, dvds or whatever. As long as it's available to buy via Buy-It-Now and the seller accepts Paypal, it gets the bonus (except for the car/real estate restrictions -- or if the seller uses a third-party checkout system).

The conditions in full can be read here.

One of the obvious advantages of ebay is that you can often find name-brand items for less than you'd pay at stores. And this becomes a way to make your savings count even more. Let's say you find an item that retails for $169.00 but ebay sellers offer for $100. You could use this system and get an extra $30 back, making your final net just $70. The 30% could really make a decent bargain even a lot nicer.

Hey, if you found a big ticket item costing $666.66 or more, they'll give you back $200.00!

Again, since this is separate from the regular Cashback page and is a separate promotion it may not last long. So you may want to check it out quick, but remember it's limited to six Cashback transactions so use them on your bigger priced items for the most bang for your buck.

Notebook Neoprene Memory Foam Sleeve $2.99 After Rebate with Free Shipping

If you travel with your laptop, you know the more protection the better. So in addition to a notebook bag, an extra sleeve can come in handy to give that added protection against bumps and jarring. Wouldn't it be nice to pick one up for next to nothing?

Right now, Fry's is selling the Belkin Notebook Neoprene Memory Foam Sleeve for $12.99, and they ship it for free. But they also have a $10 mail-in rebate for purchases until October 7th, that brings the net cost down to $2.99 delivered!

This sleeve is designed to fit laptops with screens of 14" or 15.4".

It boasts the following features:
- Lightweight: adds protection without extra weight
- Waterproof: security for the notebook against leaks and spills
- Strong & durable: protects the notebook against scratches and daily wear & tear
- Flexible: will stretch to fit the notebook perfectly
- Easy to clean: machine washable at 30 degrees C
- Easy access: convenient opening

So if you'd like to buy that extra bit of laptop protection without draining your wallet too much, click this link.

Aeropostale Clearance Sale Up to 70% Off Plus Coupon Code for Extra 20% Off

If you like the casual, fun clothing from Aeropostale, this might be a good time to pop on over to their website. They have a clearance sale going on with items as much as 70% off. There are plenty of items for men and women, lots of styles and selections.

And on top of the clearance savings, they also have a coupon code good for the next couple of days that'll get you an extra 20% off your order. The code to apply during checkout is 3DAY20. The code only applies to items in clearance and not on other items at Aeropostale.

Shipping starts at $5.95, but with these savings it may still be worth a bit of time to check out their clearance stock.

To check men's items, click this link. For women's clearance items, go to this link.

See the Mediterranean and Cruise Back to the U.S. for Little More Than a Return Flight -- 13-Night Cruise $399 Inside Cabin; $599 Oceanview

Want to top off a European trip with some extra style? If you can add a bit of time to get back to the U.S. instead of just hopping on a plane back, here's an interesting alternative. Travelocity has a a 13-night cruise on the Norwegian Gem that starts in Barcelona, makes some stops in the Mediterranean, and then crosses to Atlantic returning you to New York City.

The sailing of November 16th-29th has some prices that'll make your jaw drop. They have inside cabins at just $399, about what you might expect to pay for a flight back from Europe to the U.S. (and only about $30 a night). To get an oceanview cabin, it's available at $599, still less than $50 a night. They also have balconies at $799 and suites at $999, which are still real bargains for a cruise of this length.

The itinerary for the cruise is:
Depart Barcelona, Spain
Villefranche (Nice), France
Livorno (Florence), Italy
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Ajaccio, Corsica
Six days crossing the Atlantic
New York City

So you get the cruise experience, stops in Italy, France and Spain, and a relaxed way to come back to the States... ooh la la!

Included:
Shipboard Accommodations, Meals, Some Beverages, Onboard Entertainment and Daily Activities, Port Charges, 24-Hour Room Service
Not Included:
Shore Excursions, Personal Expenses, Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Specialty Restaurants, Spa Treatments, Some Taxes
Optional Add-ons:
Flights, Hotels, Transfers, Insurance

If this would make your European trip a more complete vacation and you'd like to check more details click this link.

Nextar X3i Portable 3.5" GPS with MP3 and 3 Interchangeable Face Plates $79.99 After Rebate

For anyone doing shopping for a GPS system for yourself or as a gift, Buy.com is selling the Nextar X3i GPS with three interchangeable faceplates for $94.99 right now. And for purchases made by October 15th, there's a $15.00 rebate bringing your final net price down to a low $79.99. That's about the lowest price I've seen to date on a basic GPS unit.

This unit includes an MP3 player so you can listen to your favorite music with it as well.

This Nextar has a 3.5 inch touch screen display, preloaded maps of 50 U.S. states (in 1GB SD card), 1.6 million points of interest and an address book to store up to 300 addresses. It does turn-by-turn prompts but doesn't have text-to-speech (it tells you where to turn but doesn't pronounce the name of the road). It has a speed alert capability, 2D or 3D map viewing, and Day and Night modes (Night mode features additional light on the screen for easier viewing).

To check out the details and see if this GPS is for you, click the picture.

Portable Speakers/Alarm Clock for Your iPod $19.99

Do you have an iPod with all your favorite songs? If you'd like to listen to it on some nice speakers and even be able to wake up to your favorite music, you might want to take a look at this. Buy.com is selling the Sonic Impact i-P23 iWake Portable Speakers + Alarm Clock for iPod for just $19.99. That's $80.00 off the list price of $99.99.

Free budget shipping is included in the price.

The i-P23 has aluminum cone neodymium drivers for clarity, ported speaker housings, and advanced Maxxbass technology t0 provide an enhanced bass response while minimizing distortion. Housed in a hard case with a floral design, it not only protects the speakers and iPod while traveling, it also serves as a speaker cabinet producing better audio output. There's even a clock that lets you wake up or go to sleep to the sound of the music on your iPod. It has up to 24 hours of battery life plus an AC adapter to extend battery life as well as recharging you iPod.

To take a look and see if this will bring more music to your life (or as a gift for someone with an iPod), click the picture below.

Free Bollywood Movie Night Courtesy of Lufthansa

To celebrate the Diwali season, Lufthansa is having a promotion for its second annual Lufthansa Movie Night. During October, Lufthansa will be giving away free tickets every week to Bollywood movies nationwide.

There are a limited number of passes available for theatres in the following cities:
Fremont, CA
Lakewood, CA
Norcross, GA
Bloomingdale, IL
Arlington, MA
Novi, MI
Edison, NJ
New York, NY
Corneus, OR
Richardson, TX
Houston, TX
Falls Church, VA

They are giving away tickets now for October 1st through 5th but many theatres are already out of passes. But you can check during the month to see when they'll be giving away passes for upcoming weeks in October -- they'll be doing it weekly.

To check on availability of the free movie passes, click this link.

All movie attendees will also be entered automatically into a raffle for a free pair of round-trip Lufthansa Economy Class tickets to India or Europe.

Portable Disney CD Player for Kids on the Go $7.99

If you still use CDs rather than MP3s for your kids to listen to their favorite songs, Best Buy has a nice price on a Disney Cars Portable CD Player. It's designed to look and feel like one of Lightning McQueen's tires, so it'll make a great accessory for those long automobile trips. Right now, Best Buy has cut the price from $24.99 down to just $7.99.

To save on shipping you can choose to pick it up at your nearest Best Buy.

This Disney device features:
- Sixty-second antishock protection to keep tunes pumping
- Control-lock switch so the music can play on without disruptions
- Dual headphone jacks enable two people to listen at the same time
- Compatible with CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs

For your youngster who likes Disney and cars, this would be a nice treat without denting your wallet too badly. To check it out, click this link.