RCA Noise Cancelling Headphones $14.99 with Free Shipping

I've written a few times before about how handy noise-cancelling headphones are during airplane travel (I use them as part of my "faux first-class kit). For very frequent travelers, investing in a top quality pair like Bose may make sense. But for most of us who fly very infrequently, it may be more sensible to get a more economic set of headphones. Right now, buy.com is selling the RCA HPNC500 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones for just $14.99. Free budget shipping is included in the deal.

These headphones feature:
- 12dB active noise canceling to eliminate outside noise
- 40mm driver for deep, rich sound
- full-size earcups for comfortable fit
- swivel ear cups for easy storage in laptop cases
- single-side cord entry keeps wires out of the way
- airline adapter included
- pouch for easy storage and protection on-the-go

Specifications:
- Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 102dB
- Impedance: 32 Ohms
- Cord Length: 4 feet
- Plug: 3.5mm Stereo Mini Plug

To check out these headphones and see if they might make sense to have for your next plane trip(s), click the picture below.

Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center at Amazon for $12.99

Looking for an entertaining toy for that toddler? Amazon.com is currently selling the Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center for $12.99, a savings of $22.00 from the $34.99 retail.

This air-powered activity center features:
- cute jungle animals and a ladybug entice little fingers to grasp and explore
- lively music and animal sounds seem to bring this activity set to “life”
- comes with monkey and palm tree snap-in piece, 3 balls, 3 stacking pieces

It's recommended for children ages 9 months - 3 years old. It requires 4 D-size batteries, not included.

I'm not sure how low their price will stay at this level, so if you think this kind of toy would add some fun to funtime, click them link below to see more.

Express Coupon 15% Off In-Store or On-Line, Coupon for Free Panty at Express Intimates

For my readers who like to shop at Express or Express Men, here's a coupon to help make your next trip a little lighter on your bank account. They have a coupon you can print that gets you 15% off your purchase, with no minimum required. It's good for use in stores at Express or Express Men. You can also get the same savings at express.com by entering code 4849 at checkout.

The coupon isn't valid on clearance merchandise or to buy gift cards. It's valid until December 9th. To print your coupon, click this link.

Oh, and for anyone who shops at Express Intimates, they have a separate coupon good for $30 off a $75 purchase, as well for a free Essential Cotton Panty (no purchase required). That coupon is at this link. This one is good till December 4th.

So if you're shopping at Express for yourself or some gifts, why not save a little while you're there?

Electronic Farmhouse Playset $9.99 at KB Toys with Free Shipping

Looking for a toy for that youngster? If he or she would enjoy playing with a small farm playset with plenty of tools and animals, KB Toys has a sale going on -- it could put a smile on that child's face while you can still smile looking at your wallet.

It's an Electronic Farmhouse Playset, and right now they have cut the price from $39.99 down to $9.99, a savings of 75%. And to make matters even better, it's shipped to you for free.

The set includes a big red barn complete with figures of a mom, dad, son and daughter. There are a slew of accessories: windmill, truck, tractor, pick-up automatic baler, 4 corrals, water pump, feeding trough, spading fork, shovel, rake, broom, bucket, barrel. It also has 2 milk bottles, 2 bales of hay with loop and 2 rounded bales of hay. Animals include 2 horses, 2 cows, pig, sheep, dog, hen and rooster. The barn measures 25.6"L x 4"W x 14"H.

The set requires 2 "AA" batteries, not included.

For the youngster who'd love to imagine life on a farm, this set could bring hours of enjoyment. To check it out, click this link.

Class 6 SDHC Cards at Newegg - 4GB Transcend $4.99; 8GB Kingston $12.99

If you have a device that needs an SDHC card, chances are you're using a lot of memory and a spare card could come in handy. Or maybe you're using a 4GB card and want to upgrade to an 8GB for more convenience. Well, Newegg has a pair of deals right now that might be worth checking out.

They have the Transcend 4GB Secure Digital High-Capacity (SDHC) Class 6 Flash card for just $4.99. And they also are selling the highly rated Kingston 8GB Secure Digital High-Capacity (SDHC) Flash Card (also a Class 6 card) for $12.99.

Class 6 means these are higher speed than some lower-end SDHC cards in Class 2 or 4. Making the deals even better is that they both include free shipping.

So if you need an SDHC card (remember, these can't be used in devices that use just standard SD cards), you might want to check these out.

For the Transcend 4GB, click this link.
For the Kingston 8GB, use this link.

The Beatles' "Help!" Deluxe Edition DVD $19.99

For Beatles fans, amazon.com is offering a deal on a deluxe DVD edition of the movie "Help!" Right now they're selling it for $19.99, a whopping 85% off the list price of $134.99. In fact, right now this one is priced lower than they're selling the standard edition DVD of "Help!"

I was a bit surprised by the suggested list price, but this release has some extra items for Beatles maniacs and enthusiasts. And being able to get them for the $19.99 isn't too shabby.

This edition includes:
Disc 1 (96 minutes)
- Help! Theatrical Movie
- Digitally restored and newly created 5.1 soundtrack.

Disc 2 (57 minutes)
- The Beatles in Help! 30 minute documentary about the making the film
- with Richard Lester, the cast and crew
- exclusive behind the scenes footage of The Beatles on set.
- missing scene featuring Wendy Richard
- The Restoration of Help! An in depth look at the restoration process
- Memories of Help! The cast and crew reminisce
- Theatrical Trailers 2 US trailers and 1 Spanish trailer
- 1965 US Radio Spots - Hidden in disc menus

The Deluxe Package also includes:
- a reproduction of Richard Lester s original annotated script
- 8 lobby cards
- poster
- 60-page book with rarely seen photographs from the movie

So if you're a Beatles fan and would like to add this to your collection (or if you want to buy a gift for the Beatles lover in your life), click the link below to see details. Remember that amazon changes prices often so this deal may not stay this low for long.

9" Digital Photo Frame $69.99

If you're looking for digital photo frames on sale, the size you usually see discounted is a 7" diagonal frame. But if you're looking for something to make your photos stand out bigger and brighter, here's a deal on a larger-size frame. Right now, Buy.com is selling the Philips 9"9FF2CME/37 Digital Photo Frame for just $69.99. That's 65% off the retail of $199.99. Free budget shipping comes with the deal.

This larger frame has the following features:
- top quality display (800 x 480 pixels @ .1905 dot pitch)
- store up to 150 photos with internal memory
- also view photos directly from memory cards
- compatible with CF, MS, MS-Pro, MMC, SD & xD
- create albums, slide shows, and manage photos
- automatically turn on and off display at programmable preset times
- operate on AC power or cordlessly with rechargeable battery

So if a bigger frame is something you'd like, or maybe a gift you'd like to give (or order two and do both), you can check it out by clicking the picture below.

Women's Skechers from $16.49 at Amazon

Amazon.com has a nice deal going on a variety of Skechers for women, with a bunch of styles cut as much as 69%, from $54.95 down to just $16.49. They also have other styles with price reductions available for $17.99 (from $59.95) and $19.49 (reduced from $64.95).

They have a lot of different styles listed under the sale. In some cases, all sizes in that style are available at the low price; it other cases, the savings are just for certain sizes. But there are pages of different Skechers available, so if you're looking for some comfortable casual shoes, it may be worth a couple of minutes to see what they have available.

To check out their selection, click this link.

Barbie Girls 1GB MP3 Player $14.99

Do you have a girl who loves Barbie and music? Or is a girl like that on your Christmas shopping list? You can combine two of her favorites with a Barbie Girls 1GB MP3 Player. Amazon.com is selling the gold version right now for just $14.99. They also have pink and green versions available for just $2.00 more at $16.99. These are reduced from $39.99, so you're saving as much as $25.00 (63%).

If you have an order totaling over $25.00, shipping is free (if you get two of these or if you combine this in an order with other eligible super-saver-shipping items).

These Barbie MP3s feature:
- 1GB memory stores 240 songs, expandable miniSD slot up to 2GB
- a next-generation fashion doll and stylish MP3 player all in one
- can connect to your computer for new features on BarbieGirls.com
- Barbie Girl comes with a second fashion
- adjustable-sized earbuds, belt clip, docking station and storage case
- Windows XP and Vista compatible - Not MacOS compatible

To take a look, click the links below. I'm not sure how long the price will be cut down this far, so if this is on your shopping list, now might be the time to strike.

Memory Cards on Sale at Staples Today -- Get On-Line, Save a Trip to the Store

While I was a Staples earlier today, I saw a bunch of deals on memory cards -- SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo, flash drives... they have them available on-line, and Staples is offering free shipping, so you can get these without trucking to the store.

Here are some highlights:
- 2GB SanDisk Memory Stick Pro Duo $9.99
- 2GB PNY microSD Card with Adapter $6.99
- 4GB SanDisk SDHC Card $9.99
- 8GB SanDisk SDHC Card $17.99
- 4GB SanDisk mictroSDHC (no adapter) $9.99

To see all the cards on special today only, click this link.

Black Friday -- Yes, I Did...

Got back home at 7:30 am this morning having been at three stores for some Black Friday shopping (yes, I was at a store at 4:00 am). I avoid the stores with the mega-crowds and the ones where people camp out all night hoping to get one of the limited number of low-priced big-ticket items they carry to get people in the door. I heard people were lined up around the entire exterior of one local Walmart. The line at BestBuy was also very long when I drove one of those. Tonight I heard on the news that one man was actually trampled to death at a Walmart opening this morning. Yikes!

Rather than looking at the most popular stores or the mega-electronics places, my strategy for Black Friday the last couple of years has been to aim at some stores that were on the smaller-scale or not as electronics oriented. I also try and find locations that are not in the giant shopping centers. That way, the lines (if any) are usually a little more manageable.

So this morning at 4:05 I was at a local InkStop that had opened at 4:00 (no waiting, about three people inside) and picked up a 7" digital frame for $29.95 (the lowest price I saw among all the Black Friday ads) I scanned the other specials and picked up a few other small items that will fill out the Christmas gift list. It was close enough to opening time at other stores to keep going.

I then drove over to a Home Depot where they had a nice deal on Ryobi power tools (a low-price combo kit along with a bonus free choice of another power tool). I figured that most people would be out for electronics or clothes and hopefully no line would be waiting at Home Depot. Sure enough there wasn't, and then they opened the front doors a little early. The employees there were really very helpful and cheerful, and showed me where the specials were. In fact the free tools were selling at more than the free combo kit, so I ended up getting two of the combos and two free tools -- the cashier was amazed since their register showed the amount I was saving totaled more than I was spending. I figure the second kit can go on ebay, and make the second tool really free or close. I also picked up a few other small-ticket items like a tool box for less than $5.00, a 100-piece drill-and-driver set for under $10, and four poinsettia plants for 99¢ each. The upside of my Home Depot visit was that I got some great deals -- the bad side is I lost some excuses for jobs that need doing around the house...

On the way home I stopped at a local Staples where I'd stood on line last year for a Navigon GPS (and was happy I did). By the time I got there today the store had been open thirty minutes, but most of the Black Friday items were still available. I got a fax machine they were selling at $59.99 with a $50.00 rebate (hey, I needed a new fax machine anyway, so getting one for $10.00 strikes me as a good deal, an external hard drive reduced by over 50%, and some blank DVDs that went from $26.98 down to $4.98 after a sale price with a rebate tacked on. I also picked up Norton Internet Security that will be free-after-rebate (never pay for security software, just time your new purchases right and you can get them free). I had asked a manager a couple of times for locations of some items, and I must have treated her nicely because all of a sudden she brought me a 7" digital picture frame with a wood frame that had been the hot seller of the morning for $49.99 with a $10.00 rebate. They had flown off the shelves but she said she had found the last one in the back so she offered it to me if I wanted to buy it. So I ended up getting the hottest item even though I hadn't been on line there are 6:00 am when they opened...

Well, I hope I did my part to help jump-start the economy!

Ebates User? Double Your Rewards Today Only

For on-line shopping, I've mentioned ebates a few times as a way to get back a percentage of your purchases when you shop at many stores on-line. These savings can add up (I just got back a nice check for some buys I made over the last few months).

Last year I took advantage after Thanksgiving when they doubled their reward bonus for a day -- in some cases the cash back got up to 55%.

Well, today ebates is doing it again, doubling the amount they credit back to your account. All you have to do is go through ebates.com to get to the store -- once you're in the store it's just like having gone directly to their website. For more details on ebates (and how to sign up free if you're not yet registered), click this link to my post on them.

Save 30% on Ebay Purchases Today

A while ago I posted about a way to save 30% at ebay by getting there by search at a live.com portal. The percentage had dropped since then to 25% but apparently for Black Friday they've upped the amount back to 30% once again.

Basically, you get a cashback credit from Microsoft on items you purchase via Buy-It-Now and then pay with Paypal. They put the cashback amount back into your paypal account (I think you can choose to get a check or direct deposit as well) after 60 days. You can get back up to $250 a transaction. So if you were buying an item today that costs $500 on ebay using Buy-It-Now, Microsoft would give you back $150, making your net cost a much lower $350.

That's a nice way to add to savings you might find with a nice deal at ebay. I'm presuming this bump-up back to 30% is today only (they have some other special cashback deals today) but it's not announced anywhere.

For the details on how to activate an ebay Microsoft cashback transaction, read my prior post for more complete details.

1,000 Posts -- Happy Thanksgiving!

What a nice day to write my 1,000th post!

I hope you get a chance to take some time today to slow down for a moment and take in your own reasons to give thanks. Sure the shopping for deals is fun (and I hope you've been able to take advantage of some of these to make your life a bit more efficient, productive or fun) -- but it's the time you get to enjoy and spend time with those you love and like that make it worth it, no?

So take a moment -- no, take three! Take stock, and realize there are more things for which to give thanks -- and more people for whom to give thanks -- than you realize in the day-to-day rushing around. So let yourself give those thanks and let yourself smile at it all.

Home Depot 4-Tool Combo for $59.97 Today Only

Well, in anticipation of Black Friday Home Depot has thrown some early specials on-line. If you're looking for some cordless power tools, they have a Ryobi One+ combo kit for $59.97. It includes This combo kit includes a P205 Cordless Drill and bit, a P501 Circular Saw with Carbide-tipped blade, a P711 Vac, a P700 Flashlight , a P100 One+ 18V Battery and a P111 Charger.

That's a nice assortment of some handy power implements for a nice combined price.

Tool specs:
- Drill: 18 Volts, 0-350 / 0-1400 RPM’s (no load speed), 3/8” Keyless, 24 position
- Circ Saw: 18 Volts, Blade Size 5 ½ in, 4,200 RPM’s (no load speed)
- Dry Vac 18 Volts.
- Light 18 Volts and High density Bulb

To check out this tool set, click this link.

PDF Creation/Editing Software Free After Rebate

Ever need to create pdf files from your documents, spreadsheets, etc.? Or edit some pdf file to make it work better? Right now, Fry's is offering Nitro PDF Professional for $59.99 with free shipping. There's a $60 mail-in rebate if you buy it before December 4th, making it free after the rebate.

This software can:
- Create and convert pdf alone or in batch.
- Convert pdf files back to Word while retaining text, graphic and pages.
- Combine multiple documents into one pdf.
- Convert Word, Excel, and Powerpoint to pdf with one click.
- Scan and convert documents to pdf.
- Insert sticky notes - just like Post-it notes - on your pdf.
- Highlight, underline, and strike-through text on your pdf.
- Apply stamps like Approved or Draft.
- Easily organize comments.
- Edit and enhance text and graphics in pdf.
- Arrange/shuffle pages; delete, rotate, and crop.
- Generate pdf hyperlinks and bookmarks automatically.
- Protect documents with passwords and digital certificates

All this can be yours for free after rebate -- isn't that a nice phrase?

To check it out and place an order, here's the link to Fry's.

Rightway GPS with Text-to-Speech $89.99

If a GPS system is on your shopping list and you were thinking about getting up super-early Friday to get a great deal, you can go to Staples now and get a nice price during their "The Big Event Sale." They have the Rightway RW200 GPS Navigator with the price cut from $149.99 down to $89.99, with free shipping included.

This GPS system includes the nice text-to-speech function to pronounce the names of streets where you make maneuvers. It offers a variety of ways you can view directions on-screen, including a safety mode with large printed directions instead of the traditional map view. For information on specifications and features, click this link.

The price is good for orders today and tomorrow. To check it out, click this link.

Kingston 4GB microSDHC Card with Two Adapters $8.94 Shipped

Need a nice chunk of memory for your electronic device but want the versatility to be able to use it in new devices down the line? A microSDHC card with adapters gives you some choices. If your device takes full-size SDHC cards, you can place this micro card into an adapter that makes it useable in the device. And later, if you buy a device that needs a microSDHC card (or a miniSDHC size) you can use it without an adapter (or put it into the miniSDHC one). So you pick up that extra flexibility.

Right now, buy.com is selling Kingston's 4GB microSDHC Card with two adapters for just $8.94. And they include free budget shipping.

Kingston is a well-regarded brand of memory. And I've ordered numerous times from buy.com and always been pleased with the speed of shipping (even when using free budget service).

So if you have device(s) using SDHC memory cards, this is a good way to pick up 4GB of memory for a low cost and have some flexibility with other devices you may get in the future. To take a look, click the image below.