You can still do your part to help keep prices low and save yourself money on gas. Some of those ideas include:

• Mass transit
• Drive slower
• Hypermiling
• Walk to work

There are plenty of ways to save on gas. In addition to the ways already listed, you can use gas cards that give rebates or rewards on gas purchases.

Don’t give up just because gas prices are going down.

• Are rebates a rip-off?
• Garage Sale Report
• Save Money On Injuries
• Scam or No Scam?

Rebates are very popular and have become even more-so in the last few years.  The electronics industry has seen quite and increase in rebates on it’s products. Rebates of $50, $100 or $200 are a pretty common occurrence.

I’ve seen items advertised as “free after rebate” on sites such as salescircular.com and walgreens.com. Do these rebates come under the heading of “too good to be true”? Some of them do and there are things to watch out for, however, if you are careful, rebates can help you get some really good deals.

How do rebates work?  You pay the listed price for an item, then mail a form and some proof of purchase, such as the UPC bar code to the manufacturer and they send you a refund.  This reduces the price of what you paid for the item, except with a time delay of several weeks.

Tip 1: Rebates from larger, more reputable companies are usually just fine.

You can be pretty sure you will get the promised rebate from Best Buy, Amazon or Dell but you should probably not count on getting one from a company you’ve never heard of. If you really want the product and are OK with paying the price listed then buy it but don’t count on actually getting the refund.

Tip 2: Make sure the rebate is not expired.

Many times products will stay on the shelf of a retailer after the date for sending in the rebate offer has expired.  Check those dates.  On the flip side, I was able to get a $50 rebate after the posted expiration because I contacted the manufacturer, and it just so happened that they had extended the expiration date.

Tip 3: Have all of the information needed to submit the rebate before you leave the store.

Rebates will almost always require a form to be filled out, a receipt for the purchase, and a bar code.

Tip 4: Make copies of everything.

Make copies of everything you send in to get your rebate including the bar code. Stuff gets lost in the mail all the time and if the rebate is for $50 it’s worth the trouble to back up your claim.

Free Sample Of Tide TotalCare From Wal-Mart
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid49404.aspx

Free Reach Access Daily Flosser Sample Pack

http://www.samplereachaccess.com/sampling/sample.htm?cid=drtv000001&Accept=Accept

Free Love Your Heart Cookbook
http://www.boston.com/advertisers/gored/

Free Sample Of Dipping Solutions Stain
http://www.dippingsolutions.com/finishes.html

Free Sample Of Dove Pro-Age Body Lotion

http://www.doveproage.com/samples_hbl.asp

Free Car Poster From Nitto
http://www.nittotire.com/posterpromotion/?piid=3

Free Sample Of Move Free Advanced
http://www.keepmovingwithmovefree.com/

Free Sample Of Steri-X Disinfectant
http://www.steri-x.com/steri-x-freesample.html

Free Cuisinart Coffee Samples
http://cuisinartcoffee.com/component/option,com_forme/fid,3/

Free Sample Pack Of Lightning Labels And Stickers (US And Canada)
http://www.lightninglabels.com/sampack.asp

Free Home Made Simple Coupon Booklet ($27.00 In Coupons)
http://www.startsampling.com/sm/100322/quickQuestion.iphtml?item=100322&source=MM10

Free Ear Plug Samples
http://www.aearoweb.com/sites/earsamples/sample_request.aspx

Free Kotex Sample From Wal-Mart
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid46914.aspx

Free Sample Of New Tide With Dawn

https://tidewithdawn.offerprocessingcenter.com/

Free Bicycling Rules Of The Road/Trail Wallet Card
http://bicyclecolo.org/page.cfm?PageID=28

Free Sample Of Snore No More
http://www.snoremd.com/requestsamples.htm

Free Publications From Minwax
http://www.minwax.com/listserv/free_publications.cfm

Free Australian Lamb Recipe Book (US And Canada)
http://www.australian-lamb-contest.com/cookbook_order_anyday.cfm

Free Better Care Kit – For Those With Diabetes

http://www.ammeddirect.com/free_better_care.aspx

Free Box Of Zoe’s Granola
http://www.zoefoods.com/cooking/panelsignup.htm

Free DenTek Samples

http://www.dentekoralcare.com/special_offers.html

Free Sample Of UnderJams
http://www.underjams.com/disposable-underwear/girl-landing.php?hidChk=yes

Free Sample Of Fiber System Plus
http://www.benaturallyfit.com/free_sample.htm

Free Sample Of Elle Fragrance From YSL
http://ysl.cardmine.net/

Free Alterna Sample For Your Hair
http://www.4alterna.com/AmericanSalon/index.html

Free Vegetation Demo-CD
http://www.vgt.vito.be/mailforms/democd.htm

Free Car Upholstery Sample Card Package
http://www.macsautoparts.com/cartouche/request_samples.aspx

Free Becks Wrench Bottle Opener
http://www.beckskeyclub.com/BKC/2008/Acq/Register2.aspx

Free Sample From Wondermat
http://www.wondermat.com/infosend1.html

FREE Download of IBM Lotus Symphony
Tired of using Microsoft Office? Then try out Lotus Symphony, a free productivity software package from the creator of popular programs such as Lotus 123. The program includes a word processor, spreadsheet and presentations application, the three major tools you’d expect to find in any modern office package. Symphony is user-friendly, intuitive and makes a great alternative to similar commercial programs.
http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/home.jspa

Into the Wild Audiobook FREE Download
In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild. Offered in MP3 or WMA. Simply add to cart and proceed to check out.
http://audiobooks.borders.com/8F993733-89B3-4598-AAD3-D8A55541C894/10/129/en/IntoTheWild?cmpid=SL_20080715_REW

ICC Dasher – FREE Download of Online Chess
CC Dasher is a Windows program for connecting and playing on the Internet Chess Club. You can download and use it for free.
http://www.chessclub.com/helpcenter/interface/Dasher.html

FREE Kids Game Downloads from Absolutist
Absolutist has been on the free kids games market since year 2000. They have a really huge collection of free kid games you can download. So if you are looking for free downloads of kid games, you’ve come to the very right place! Have no doubt and download kid games from this collection for free, as they’ve made kid game creation their passion to make your kid’s free time more interesting and exciting.
http://absolutist.com/kids_games.html

Download FREE Elvis Presely Screensavers
At the official Elvis Presley Web site, you’ll find a selection of free screensavers to download, including one featuring scenes from “Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii” and the “1968 Comeback Special”. Other screen savers available here include classic images of Elvis performing. Please note: unfortunately, none of these screen savers feature audio.
http://www.elvis.com/screensaver/download.asp

FREE Download of New Release from P.O.D. – Shine With Me
Get a FREE download off of P.O.D.’s new album release “When Angels and Serpents Dance” called Shine With Me. Click the link above the door on the upper right of the page or scroll down and download from the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
http://www.payableondeath.com/shinewithme/

Create Your Own Personalized Picture Montage for FREE
One True Media helps you turn your photos and video into awesome slideshows and video montages for free.! Click ‘Create’ and then register for a FREE account. Once register then upload as many photos as you’d like in your montage. After they are uploaded you can create personal messages, special effects, and music. Most of the items are free, but some are included when you sign up under a paid premium account. If you choose an item that costs, just simply click cancel and continue on to choose a free item. Enjoy!
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/howitworks

Download Bootylicious Buns Workout from ExerciseTV for FREE
NOTE: Enter code “BUNS10″ at check-out! Stephanie’s Bootylicious Buns Workout offers the ‘best of buns’ moves out there. Her unique twists on some glute-classics, both standing and on the floor, will target your backside from all angles. Join the ranks of J-Lo, Jessica Alba and Beyonce, and make your tush the talk of the town in just 10 minutes! Add the item to your cart (on the upper right hand side of the page) and enter the promotional code given above during checkout.
http://store.exercisetv.tv/p-1653-10-minute-bootylicious-buns.aspx

Get a FREE Sample Sachet of Dragon Feeds from AquaThrive -Email
NOTE: Scroll down to the ‘Dragon Feeds Sample’ topic and click the ‘Contact Us’ link. AquaThrive has a selection of freshwater and marine Dragon Feeds samples to give away. Please contact them quoting reference DFWEB01 with your name, address and specifying whether you would like to receive samples of the freshwater or marine formulated diet. They will automatically send you one each of the small (0.5mm), medium (1.0mm) and large (1.5mm) pellet sample sachets.
http://www.aquathrive.com/

Receive a FREE Sample of Alterna Haircare
Request a FREE sample of Alterna haircare by filling in your details and submitting. Alterna creates groundbreaking formulas that set the industry standard for the finest luxury haircare products in the world. Get your FREE sample today & be on your way to more beautiful hair!

http://www.4alterna.com/townandcountry/

Free Sample of Biofreeze from MedResponse
Fill out your shipping information to receive a free sample of Biofreeze from MedResponse. Biofreeze relieves pain with cold, deep penetrating relief.

http://www.medresponse.com/freesampl.htm

Order 4 FREE Sample Sachets of Lepicol
NOTE: Enter reference code: TNT00 Lepicol has been developed to help keep the bowels healthy in a totally natural way. Lepicol is free from wheat, free from sugar, free from dairy produce, and free from additives. Complete the sample request form provided to receive your FREE sample of Lepicol.
http://www.lepicol.com/free/

Sports Freebies
Always Sports Themes – Free Sports Desktop Themes
Offers a huge collection of free quality sport related desktop themes, wallpaper, screensavers, skins and more!
http://www.alwayscollections.com/

Free Sample of Storm & Shock Therapy from Universal Nutrition
Storm & Shock Therapy are two natural supplements developed by Universal Nutrition that help to power you through bodybuilding workouts. Both products will leave you pumped, energized and ready to grow. Fill out the form to request a free sample. U.S. only.
http://universalnutrition.com/massstack/

TheSportsCritics.com – Win great sports prizes
Visit this very well done sports site and enter their free monthly contest for your chance to win great sports related items like t-shirts, jerseys and more!
http://www.thesportscritics.com/contests.asp

Free Set of 2008 Ferrari Stickers from Shell
Just fill out the form here and request a free set of stickers for the new 2008 Ferrari. The stickers, (there are 11 in all) come on one sheet and are really cool for kids bikes, helmets and motorized vehicles. U.S. only.

http://www.shell.com/home/ferrari-en/html/iwgen/motorsport/app_stickers.html

Free Jacked Racing Game Card Deck
Jacked is the world’s fastest card racing game for kids of all ages. With Jacked, you can experience the speed and thrills of racing with the fun of collecting trading cards. Register and they will send you a free Jacked car deck to get you started. U.S. and Canada only.
http://www.jackedcardracing.com/free_deck_register.aspx

Free Sample of Scivation Bodybuilding – Workout Supplements
Scivation is committed to providing their consumers with high-quality, research-proven products to enhance performance and quality of life. Fill out the form and request a free sample of Scivation supplements. International availability.

http://www.scivation.com/scivation_register.htm

Free Trailer Ball Cover from BoatUS
Complete the form by telling them about a boat ramp that they can include in their database. Give them as much information as you can, and for your trouble, they’ll send you a unique BoatUS Trailering Club trailer ball cover. U.S. only.
http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/ramprpt.asp

Free Sample of Revvida Energy Drink
This product incorporates caffeine and guarana for immediate energy, but also adds cutting edge ingredients like vitamins. Fill out their form and request a free sample that comes in a dry powder individual serving packet. U.S. only.
http://www.healingamerica.com/themes/main_pages/main_page56.asp

Free 3-Pack Sample of Golf Tees
Biogolftee specializes in Eco friendly personalized golf products. Fill out the form and request a free 3-pack sample of their white golf tees. U.S. only.

http://www.biogolftee.com/sitex/index.php/page.53

Free Sample of Gold Bond Medicated Powder
Gold Bond Powders allow you to stay cool and dry for peak performance, plus, relieve and prevent skin discomfort. Look for the “Sign-up” Now” link on bottom of page. Click and fill out the form on the next page to request a free sample of Gold Bond healing medicated powder. U.S. only.
http://www.goldbond.com/

Free Sample of Playtex Sport Tampons
Playtex Tampons have been a trusted name in feminine protection for over 25 years. Find out why with a free sample of their new Sport product. Wait for the intro to load, then click on the “Free Sample” graphic. Fill out the form on the following page to request a free sample. U.S. only.
http://www.playtexsport.com/

Free Sample of Storm & Shock Therapy from Universal Nutrition
Storm & Shock Therapy are two natural supplements developed by Universal Nutrition that help to power you through bodybuilding workouts. Both products will leave you pumped, energized and ready to grow. Fill out the form to request a free sample. U.S. only.
http://universalnutrition.com/massstack/

Free Sample of Lift Off Energy Drink
This new energy drink is portable and comes in the form of a powdered packet that you can mix with water. They claim it contains beneficial levels of herbal ingredients and vitamins. Fill out their form and get a free sample. U.S. and Canada only.
http://energydrinknow.com/home.php

Free Sample of Real Gains Body Building Supplement
This new body building supplement has more of what you want and less of what you don’t: more calories, more protein, more good fats, more taste, more fiber and far less sugar. Look for the “Free Sample” link on top right of page. Fill out the form to get your free sample. U.S. only.
http://www.universalnutrition.com/

Steals and Deals
Free Special Deals from Gerber Childrensware
Visit the Gerber Childrensware site for free special deals, contests and more. Offers change here every month. Typical offers include free printable coupons and chances to win free products, savings bonds and more. U.S. only
http://www.gerberchildrenswear.com/

RefundSweepers
Check out this super site that offers tons of the best deals, refunds, coupons and discount offers available online. The site also offers six message boards for deal junkies to share information on everything from deep discount deals to freebies
http://www.refundsweepers.com/

Real Savings Online
Real Savings Online offers shoppers the convenience of locating special offer, rebates, discounts and freebies from over 200+ online merchants. Free to all visitors. Updated daily. U.S. only.
http://www.realsavingsonline.com/

The Frugal Shopper
This site offers loads of great deals on 100′s of different products. Sign-up to receive their newsletter for free and get a heads up on the best deals for your money.
http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/

Free Deals
This new site offers links to free stuff and deals with categories that include: Free Coupons, Free Coins, Free Software, Free Web Site Promotion, Free Cash, Gifts, Contests and more. The site also has a section that lists hot Ebay offers and the time left to bid.
http://www.free-deals.net/

Last Minute Auction – $1 Bargains
This site provides a new way to hunt for great bargains on eBay.com, by searching current offers on ebay.com for auctions which meet thier strict and simple criteria: 1. The auction ends in 1 hour. 2. The price is currently 1 dollar or less.
http://www.lastminute-auction.com/

Be My Guest
“Be My Guest” for Discounted Personal Services, Gifts, and Other Purchase Opportunities! free offers, coupons, subscriptions, discounts, samples and more.
http://www.bemyguest.com/

Free Recipes & Cook Books
Cajun Cooking Recipes
Offers a bevy of free recipes from around the world…plus, free cooking tips, e-cookbook, craft instructions, and much more.
http://www.cajuncookingrecipes.com/

Free Cookbook with 8 Delicious Recipes
Check out this free cookbook with 8 delicious recipes like Fired Chicken, Broccoli Bake, Baked Zucchini, BBQ Pork Ribs and more. U.S. only.
http://www.coolfreebielinks.com/s2007/pa/Free-Cookbook.htm

CooksRecipes – 1000′s of Free Recipes & More
Browse through thousands of quality recipes by category or use their Search Tool. Plus, free online culinary help, cookery charts, kitchen tips and more.
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/

Free Shrimp Recipe Booklet from SeaPak
Fill out their short survey and get a free booket that includes tasty recipes for shrimp. U.S. only.
http://www.seapak.com/index/recipebook/

Free Recipes at RecipeSpin
If free recipes are what you are looking for, RecipeSpin is the place to find them. It serves up over 7,000 free recipes from all over the world, from Australia, to Canada and Eastern Europe. The site has an easy to use search feature to help you quickly find the exact recipe you’re looking for. RecipeSpin is fully categorized. Sample category headings here include chicken, beef, fish, lamb, soup, appetizer, cookie, vegetarian and many more.
http://www.recipespin.com/

Mimi’s Cyber Kitchen
Here’s a huge well organized site with tons of free recipes and much more. The site Lists hundreds of Mimi’s own recipes in a large categorized archive plus, useful information sections on just about every aspect of cooking at home. Jewish visitors will especially like Mimi’s Koshar sections. The site also offers a unique greeting card setup where visitors can send recipes to friends in a neat card format.
http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/

Free Blueberry Recipes
This site serves up a selection of free blueberry recipes. They list separate recipe categories for blueberry pies, muffins, smoothies and more. The site also offers blog where you can add your own blueberry recipes and view those submitted by others.
http://www.blueberryrecipes.org/

Food & Cooking
Food & Cooking serves up an impressive collection of free food and cooking resources including hundreds of free recipes in their online database. All recipes are listed with a color photo.
http://www.food-cooking.com/

Free Baking Lessons
Free online, printable baking lessons, over 180 pages of instructions, tips, and recipes. More than an e-cookbook, you will receive a downloadable baking lesson each week for eight weeks. Each lesson includes text, practice recipes, and shopping resources. No cost or obligation.
http://www.preparedpantry.com/bakinglessonssignup.htm

Free Old Time Cooking Recipes
Offers over 500 old time recipes in categories that include Amish, Soups, Pasta, Meats, Breads, Deserts and more. Main categories are broken down into sub categories and individual offers are listed with photos of the finished dish. The site also lists many recipe books you can download in Adobe PDF format.
http://www.free-old-time-cooking-recipes.com/

Land O’Lakes – Free Recipes
Loads and loads of free recipes from everyone’s favorite butter site!
http://www.landolakes.com/mealideas/index.cfm

All Recipes.com
Here is an excellent recipe and food fact resource. There are over 20,000 free user submitted recipes to choose from here that cover deserts to main dishes. The site allows visitors to print recipes in three formats that include 3×5 and 4×6 cards plus, a full page option as well.
http://www.allrecipes.com/

Free Pork Recipe Brochures
Choose from over 18 different free pork recipe brochures from “The Daily Pork” website. U.S. only.
http://www.otherwhitemeat.com/aspx/brochure/brochureList.aspx?from=f&lbid=0

Free California Ripe Olives Recipe Book
For a limited time visit their site and fill out the form to request a free recipe book entitled “Eating Well with California Ripe Olives”. The book includes new recipes created in the kitchens of Eating Well magazine. U.S. only.
http://www.calolive.org/postcards/index.html

Jiffy Mix – Free Cookbook
Register with them and get a free Jiffy Mix recipe cook book. U.S. Only.
http://www.jiffymix.com/

CDKitchen.com
Here’s a well done free recipe site with over 4600 recipes in categories that include Bakers Dozen, Main Course, Back to The Basics, Microwave Cooking, One Dish Recipes, Cafeteria Line, Perfect Pasta, Refreshment Stand, Copy Cat – Restaurant and many more. In addition to the above the site also has an archived database of over 100,000 newsgroup recipes that are searchable by month and day.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/

Free Recipes from Alive
Visit Alive.com and check out the bevy of healthy recipes they offer for free. All recipes are categorized so it’s easy to find the ones you want here.
http://www.alive.com/recipe.php

The Electronic Gourmet Guide
Here’s a cool free recipe site with an even cooler free monthly newsletter devoted to food, wine, cooking and fun. E.G.G. was named Winner of Global Network Navigator’s Second Annual Best of the Net Awards in the 1995 Food & Wine category. The newsletter is published on the 1st of every month. The site also has recipe message boards and links to loads of other food resources on the Web.
http://www.foodwine.com/

Hattie’s Kitchen
Here’s a site that not only offers free recipes, but is also a touching memorial to it’s founder. The site was originally done by Susan “Hattie” Steinsapir who recently passed away at a very young age of heart failure. It is now faithfully maintained by her loving and devoted husband Andreas. The site offers many original recipes for Venison, Goat Cheese Torta, and other unusual and exotic foods.
http://www.andreas.com/susan/

Bangkok Cuisine’s Spice Market
Love Thai food? Then check out this site. The site offers many useful tips on Thai cooking, an array of free Thai recipes and a complete list of Thai and Chinese ingredients. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been updated in a while. However, there are still some good Thai recipes to be found here.
http://bangkokcuisine.com/original/bangkok/recipes.htm

Free Vegetarian Starter Kit
Ever thought about becoming a vegetarian but didn’t know where to start? Visit the official PETA site and request a free copy of their colorful vegetarian starter kit, packed full of recipes and tips on making the switch to a complete animal free diet.
http://www.goveg.com/order.asp

Free Recipe Management Software
Recipe Center
Recipe Center is a freeware version of EGS’ recipe management programs. This software serves as a tool for you to store your recipe collections. The software allows you to store recipe pictures, create shopping lists and print recipes in various formats. You can also share recipes with your family and friends via email. The programs interface is well laid out, intuitive and easy to use even for newbies. Help and support are abundant for the program as well. Recipe Center features include IntelliSense data entry, Import/Export, Recipe Resizing, Advanced Search Filters, Recipe Card Printing, Shopping List Creator, Unit Conversion Tool, Advanced Recipe Encoder, Spell Checker and more.
Download Recipe Center. For Win 2000, XP and Vista | File size 8.77 MB.
http://www.recipecentersoftware.com/

Recipe Manager
While not as powerful as Recipe Center (above), Recipe Manager offers loads of cool features to manage and organize your recipe collection. The programs interface is intuitive even though a little antiquated. Recipe Manager features include Category Viewer, Data Search, Tabbed Ingredient Viewer, Browser (HTML) View, Recipe Add Wizard, Nutrition Advisor and more. The program does have one feature that trumps other like programs. The HTML function allows you to not only view recipes in your browser up upload them to a website already formatted. Drawbacks of the program include a very limited import/export function and a limited recipe starter database.
Download Recipe Manager. For Win 98 Me NT 2000 and XP | File size 10.7 MB.
http://www.nutritionanalyser.com/recipe_manager/recipe_manager.htm

Now You’re Cooking! – Free 60 Day Evaluation
Now You’re Cooking! is an excellent recipe/menu/shopping list shareware database program for Windows. It lets you organize your recipes by category or in whole cookbooks, then prepare shopping lists from your weekly menu plan. The program even has a place to list your coupons and zips your cookbook when you’re done. You can download a free trial of the software that has a 60 day evaluation period…after which you will have to buy the product or stop using it.
Download Now You’re Cooking! For Win 9.x, NT4, XP, ME and 2000 | File Size: 4.66 MB.
http://www.ffts.com/

Free Stickers – Posters
Free Sticker – Real Men Wear Kilts
Celebrate your Celtic/Scottish cultural heritage while helping to promote the Brobdingnagian Bards with free stickers that read Real Men Wear Kilts!
http://www.thebards.net/nagians/free_stickers.shtml

Free World Peace Bumper Stickers
Choose from two bumper stickers – 1. “World Peace before 2021″ or 2. “World Peace before 2021 with Obama for President”. Fill out the form to request yours. U.S. only.
http://worldpeacebefore2021.com/order-fr3e.html

Free STICK IT TO BIG OIL Bumper Sticker
Here’s a timely freebie. Request this free sticker from Oilwatchdog.org. The sticker includes information about the U.S. Senate (Fair Fuel Act) bill # S.1997, and how consumers are losing up to 10 cents per gallon due to temperature variances. Fill out the form to request a free sticker. U.S. only.
http://www.oilwatchdog.org/stickitbigoil/

Free “Life’s a Dog” Bumper Sticker
Fill out the simple form and request a free round “Life’s a Dog” bumper sticker with a cute cartoon dog graphic. U.S. only.
http://www.lifesadog.com/bumpersticker.php

Free “I’m Voting For Kids” Bumper Stickers
Get a free “I’m Voting For Kids” or “I’m Voting For ‘Grand Kids” bumper sticker from Every Child matters education fund. Look for the resources link on top of page. Click and look for the “FUN STUFF KIT – Free” box on left of following page. Click on the “Order Now” button and fill out the form on next page to request your free stickers. U.S. only.
http://www.everychildmatters.org/National/Resources/Toolkits.html/

Free Temporary Tattoo
Register with the “Olympic Dream for Darfur” and get a free temporary tattoo to help spread the word about urging China to use its leverage to persuade the Sudanese government to protect the civilian population in Darfur. Fill out their form and get yours. U.S. and Canada only.
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/Dream/signUp.jsp?key=2321&t=DefaultTemplate.dwt

Free Limited Edition Craftsman Poster
Register for the Craftsman Club and receive a free 24″x36″ limited edition poster. Club Members get many perks including new product info and special sale notices. U.S. only.

http://www.craftsman.com/enroll/index.html

Free Personalized Gift Labels from Kahlua
Visit the Kahlua website and design your very own 100% free, unique personalized bottle labels. You can create the labels online by adding up to 5 lines of unique text and then preview it. After creation, they will mail them to you at no cost. The customized labels on a bottle of Kahlua make very cool gifts for any occasion. U.S. only.

http://www.kahlua.com/flash.asp?&usa=true&pgId=lab

Free sticker from ASPCA
Get a free Pet Rescue Alert sticker by filling out their from. The sticker is in card form and helps to alert people that pets are inside your home in the event of an emergency. U.S. and Canada only.
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_rescuesticker&JServSessionIdr010=skkt0dhgk2.app27b

Free Potty Sticker Charts
Sticker charts can help motivate toddlers to use the potty. Visit this site and print these colorful sticker charts out from your computer for free. Use them with your own stickers, or get kid’s stickers from your local store.
http://www.ablebaby.com/ptychrt.htm

Free “War is Not the Answer” Bumper Sticker
This free offer is from The Friends Committee on National Legislation which is a Quaker lobby group in Washington DC. Fill out their form to request your free bumper sticker. U.S. only.
http://www.fcnl.org/forms/forms.php?type=bump

Free Pro-Vegetarian Poster
This free offer from Compassion Over Killing is intended to encourage people to choose compassion at every meal. Fill out the form and request a free “See Her as More Than a Meal” poster. U.S. only.
http://order.cok.net/seeher/

Free Spider Identification Chart
This free very useful offer is from Termite.com and is for a free handy full color chart that includes pictures of spiders and their habitat information. The chart groups local spiders in three sections: Deadly – Dangerous, Toxic – Painful and Low Risk. They also email you first aid tips for spider bites. This is a must have freebie for anyone living in an area with dangerous spiders. U.S., Canada and Australia only. Editors note: Click on your country flag, then on the “Apply online” link on top of page. Fill out the form to request the free chart.
http://www.termite.com/spider-identification-chart.html

Gas Credit Cards are meant for saving money, keeping in view the high gas prices. You have a variety of cards to choose from, and each one has a different offer. These cards offer you a rebate up to 5% on purchase of gas and also other items like grocery. The rebate is lower in the case of purchase of items other than gas. When you have earned cash back of $50 all you have to do is obtain the check from your credit card issuer.

Certain Gas Credit Cards offer comparatively higher rebates on hotel reservations and travel including flights and car, and also double rewards for the initial bills. Certain other credit cards have come up with innovative ideas like rebate on purchase of automotive parts, no interest on purchases for a certain number of days after the billing date etc. Though you are on the look out for such incentives you should be sure if you are actually going to use them, and are not going to incur loss for the kind of rewards you do not actually require.

There is ambiguity regarding any introductory offer, and before taking a decision you should pay special attention to the fine print. You can notice that in many cases the percentage of rebate offered by the Gas Credit Cards drop dramatically to less than half after a certain number of days. And even though you are happy with the functioning of your credit card the issuer may change the terms and conditions or add a clause, suddenly to your disadvantage.

Also the rebates may not be offered at all the gas stations, which may cause you inconvenience and also sometimes extra gas. Your effort always must be cash in on the rebate, you have to request for a check or money to be transferred into your account, instead of waiting for them to pay you, as the rebates may cease to exist after a given period. If you intend to carry a balance like majority of the credit card holders do, you might end up suffering loss on account of the high interest rate. The idea of the Gas Credit Card is to save you a few dollars and not accrue debt.

Because of the stiff competition in credit card business the companies are always on the look out for innovative methods to attract customers. As gas is something everyone buys, teaming up with a gas company means better business. On the other hand the gas companies themselves offer credit cards which can be used at only those gas stations. Rebates are offered for purchase of gas and items on sale at the particular gas station. Sole gas station credit cards generally offer more discounts, and in case of a gas station in your neighborhood it is a good idea, unless you are going on a trip and you run out of gas. Other advantages of using these cards besides the rebate is that you need not carry cash and expenditure on gas will not be mixed up with regular expenditure.

If you are particular about monitoring the expenditure on gas these cards offer monthly statements with list of purchase. Like other credit cards you may watch out for annual fee or other hidden charges in case of the Gas Credit Cards too.

Gas Credit Cards are credit cards that help you reduce travel expenses by offering rebate on purchase of gas, and also on certain other purchases.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Gary L. Scurry offers advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Gas Credit Cards. To view my hot pick for Gas Credit Cards visit www.credit-cards-4-all.com/ and compare Gas Credit Cards offers.

]]> http://www.spendingless101.com/2008/06/07/learn-how-to-use-credit-to-save-money/feed/ 5 http://www.spendingless101.com/2008/06/03/more-interview-question-responses/ http://www.spendingless101.com/2008/06/03/more-interview-question-responses/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:00:48 +0000 John http://www.spendingless101.com/?p=147 I continue to receive answers to the questions I sent out to a bunch of my friends about saving money. Most have pretty standard answers, but some have a few gems in them that you may want to take note of. There is a good suggestion in this set of answers from CJ.

What do you do for a living (right now)?
teacher

Do you have excess income, a multi-million dollar savings, or rich parents?
no

What was the financial situation of your family when you were growing up?
middle class

Do you spend frivolously or do you try to save money, when possible? If you try to save money, in what ways do you do that?

• I always try to save money
• watching for sale items at the grocery store and then only buying what I have coupons for
• limit rips out now that gas is so high
• don’t use charge cards (excepts Kohls )
• shop clearance rack only
• bulk buying when possible
• shop all year for Christmas buying bargains when I can get -them
• rebates
• garage sales

Do you think saving money is an important ability? Please explain.
Yes, I do…I try to have money in savings to help out in case of emergencies. I try to teach my children the same responsibility.

Name one thing you did today to save money.
Bought gas on my way to work (further from my home) because it was 6 cents per gallon cheaper, took my own coffee from home instead of buying it out

Do you have any unique ways to save money? If so, please share them with the readers.
…see above Closing comments.

I think I have gotten something out of everyone’s responses. From these responses, I realized that it is easier to shop for Christmas all year. That way, you can take advantage of bargains throughout the year, rather than having to pay what the retailers want us to pay during the Christmas season.

After checking all of the big box stores in town (Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Office Max, Office Depot, I found that Office Max had the printer on sale for $299 (from $399). it also turns out that there was a $50 rebate being offered by HP, so my final cost was going to be $249. I grabbed a rebate coupon, paid for the printer, and left the store.

When I got back to the office, I read the rebate details. It turns out that the rebate was expired. I was very upset. I really could not afford to pay $299 for the printer, but by moving some things around, I could afford to pay that now, as long as I was going to get the $50 back down the road. Things were tough for us back then (but not so tough that I couldn’t get a laser printer).

After work, I decided to return the printer. On my way back to the store, something was telling me to call HP and see if they had another rebate (probably the aliens). I arrived in the store’s parking lot, but before going inside, I made the call. As it turns out, the rebate that I thought was expired, had been extended, and was still good. No need to go inside the store, but since I was there, I decided to look around for a while.

just inside the store, I saw a sign that read “We will meet or beat competitor prices by 10%…”. I remembered that Best buy had the same printer on sale for the same price, so I thought i might be able to get a little more money off the printer. I asked the clerk at the Customer Service counter about this and she indicated that I could receive the difference + 10%.

Here is how everything worked out:

Original Price: $399.00
Sale Discount: -$100.00
Sale Price: =$299.00
Competitor Disc.: -$ 29.00
HP Rebate: -$ 50.00
Final Price: =$220.00

TOTAL SAVINGS: $179.00

I can say that saving on this printer was a success. I kept that printer for at least 10 years. In all of that time, I had to spend a little money on fixing a known problem, but after that, the thing was a workhorse. It is still running, according to my neighbor across the street. He has the printer now and I have an HP 2600N Color Laser.

My next door neighbor passed on the following information:

1 recycle…

cans=$

plastic keeps global oil cost/usage down

paper keeps packing costs from china down (china is the largest purchaser of recycled paper and cardboard, it is the US largest export to them)

most metals are worth some monetary value

2 go green(er)…

lower the thermostat, open windows and shades, ride your bike, car pool, drive slower, limit water usage, compact florescent bulbs

Use large appliances after 10 pm eg. dishwasher, dryer, washing machine, pool pumps and cleaners…all will help your bottom line ( electricity is almost a third cheaper between 10 pm and 6 am! )

CB has a suggestion on a triple play (combining three money-saving approaches):

I watch ads buying only what is on sale that I have coupons for and then combine those saving with what rebates are offered..Walgreens is really good for this..A lot of the time I end up getting items completely free on top of the already coupons savings!

AD has this suggestion, however, I am unclear on the calculations:

cost savings and environmentally friendly….

I have been doing this for about the last 8 months (prior to the media hype) and have noticed a savings.
Drink water, Drink, Water, Drink water… this seems to be pounded into our heads, It is good for you.. well I developed about a $20.00 a week bottled water habit. As habits go I guess it could be worse .

When I moved into my new house last June my landlord left me a Brita pitcher as a present…. This is great!!! It cut my bottles water habit in third but there were still all those time when I was out and grabbed a bottle. I now keep a drinking cup at work to fill up from the water cooler. I also found a cup that you can put in the freezer and the outside stays really cold all day.. I keep this one in my car.
I did have to make an initial investment in the cups and about every 3 months I have to buy a new filter.

Water $20.00/week X 52 = $1040.00
2 re-usable cups 7.00
4 filters 7.00 = 28.00 total 33.00
TOTAL SAVINGS IN A YEAR= $100.00 plus no move plastic bottle to run to the recycle bin

That’s it. Lots of great information. Add your tips in the comments section and we can all help each other.

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I just moved into a new house and somewhere along the way my router met it’s fatal end. My career depends on having Internet connectivity and as a single mom of a 3-year and a 4-year old, cords are simply a hazard. In a financial pinch with just having moved I started desperately searching for an affordable way to get my in-home wireless back!

Searching the world wide web for a solution led to disappointment for the first few hours of my search. The only affordable routers that I found were used and without a warranty on auction sites or had poor customer/consumer ratings. I did not really have a particular router in mind, just price. Then it dawned on me, “I need a router that I can rely on. It definitely has to have a warranty and good ratings” I said to myself.

Researching routers and ratings around the web, I concluded that a TRENDnet TEW-432BRP 54Mbps was the one I wanted with a 4-5 out of 5 star rating and good reviews. Knowing that rebates are all over the place, original price and shipping costs are the key:

• ISORM.com had it listed at $43.00 plus $10-$90 S&H with no rebate to total $53-$133.
• eCrater.com listed it at $24.99 plus $7.99 S&H also with no rebate to total $32.98.
• Dell.com’s listing was $49.99 plus $5-$16 S&H with a $20 mail-in rebate totaling $34.99-$69.99.
• CDW.com has it listed for $45.99 plus $10-$40 S&H with the $20 rebate as well totaling $35.99-$65.99.

Obviously, none of the above were quite what I was looking for price-wise.

After another hour, I came upon NewEgg.com and typed TRENDnet into their search bar. Well, needless to say there were hundreds of Instant Rebate Items as well as hundreds of Mail-in Rebates on the site including the TRENDnet! The router I purchased was originally $29.99 on NewEgg.com with the same rebate amount of $20 and the S&H was FREE 3-day business shipping for a grand total of $9.99!!!! TigerDirect.com also had the same deal of starting price and rebate as NewEgg does, but unfortunately they are charging $9-$35 S&H fee. In the price war, NewEgg wins hands down! Fast, informative service with on-time delivery. Status messages for where the order was throughout the process from processing payment to delivery-tracking. I am a very satisfied customer and the ratings were right, the TRENDnet TEW-432BRP Wireless Firewall Router is a very good buy.

Tech Tip: Next time you’re shopping the web, try typing ‘rebate’ into the site’s search bar, you’ll be amazed at the results.