Online Discount Deals

I have been impressed to find so many companies following the Groupon model: offer a great deal at half the price or better. Companies find new customers and customers get a fantastic savings. The other latest offerings have been from Google Offers, Amazon Local and Living Social (Facebook Deals is no longer functioning). No matter what your interest, there is something for everyone.

Looking for great food, auto or entertainment deals now? Check out Groupon Now. Purchasing the deal only reserves your coupon. If you don't redeem it by the deadline, you get your money back no questions asked.

Want to get away at an unbeatable price? Visit Groupon Getaways, a Groupon partnership with Expedia travel. Many include accommodations, travel expenses and meals. If you are lucky the airfare might be tacked on to the cost giving you a good idea of what the whole package will do to your wallet.

Need some new gadgets or supplies? Take a look at Groupon Goods. Purchasing items at half price has never been better and just think of all the cool things you could be doing with the money you've saved.

There are lots of options available, you just have to decide how much you want to save and where!

Gift Card Exchange

Holiday shopping may be over, but everyone is still looking for a great deal or a way to return those gifts that just didn't make the cut. Cardpool provides a unique opportunity to trade in your unwanted gift cards for cards you would rather have. In as little as 30 seconds you could be making cash from your unwanted gift cards! They are offering up to 92% cash for your gift cards.

If you are shopping for a gift card, why pay full price? Again, Cardpool comes to the rescue with discount gift cards up to 30% off retail prices! There is no better way to stretch your money than to get more for less.

• Trade, buy or sell gift cards
• Free shipping
• 100 day return policy

So go looking for all those cards you are not using and exchange them for ones that suit your style. Simply sign up here, enter the card merchant, tell them how much your card is worth and they will give you a quote. If you trade it for Amazon credit, they will offer more than the cash back method and faster too.

Save 50-90% Every Day

If you are not already using Groupon, you should be wondering why not. At least that was the first thought I had when I finally found the time to check it out. I have saved hundreds of dollars in only the first few weeks of use and I intend to continue the savings as more opportunity arises.

Groupon works by offering a significant savings to customers on various local offerings. When a minimum number of sales have been made on that particular item, the coupons become activated. If it doesn't meet the minimum number, you get a refund. With everything from restaurants and activities to retail stores and spas, you are sure to find something that will save 50-90%.

Head on over to Groupon, sign up for FREE and start saving today. These make great gifts and if you plan to travel, be sure to check out the latest deals in your destination city!

Free Credit Report

Keeping track of finances can be difficult and cumbersome at times. When checking for your credit reports it is important to know that you can access these for FREE, despite what other sites may say. Many are actually out to make you think they are free, and then they require signing up for their service, not in this case. Checking your report is a good thing to do regularly to ensure you are not a victim of fraud.

In order to get a reporting of your credit history you have to know a few things in advance. The site posted below will offer three different reports through three different companies. Each is free, BUT you can only use one service in a 12 month period. If you set up a calendar to check your report with one service every 4 months, you will be able to get reports all year round to ensure the safety of your credit. An example of this would be to use Experian in January, Equifax in May, and Transunion in September. Then repeat the cycle each year for regular updates and changes.

1. Go to Annual Credit Report
2. Enter your current state in the drop down menu
3. Click on the "Request Report" button
4. Fill in the required information - this is used to verify your data for security purposes
5. They will ask you a series of questions to authenticate your information
6. Select ONE service to get your current credit report
7. Either print or save the report for your personal records
8. Verify the data for accuracy
   

50% Textbooks

Getting weighed down by all those textbooks? Is your wallet getting too thin? In an effort to go green and save you money in the long run, CourseSmart has opened its virtual eTextbook store. With over 8,000 titles available and an average savings of $60 per book, you are sure to find that overweight and overpriced textbook more appealing than ever.

Whether you want it on your computer or your phone, your textbooks are available wherever you go. Consider saving a tree, saving your back, and saving some money the next time you need a textbook by checking out the deals they have to offer. Save 50% on your class textbooks at coursesmart.com

Digital Savings

Although I have never fully embraced the concept of coupons despite the savings they offer, I came across an intriguing new service that may revolutionize the way we use coupons altogether. The company Digital Development Partners is on the verge of launching a new campaign that will give advertisers and businesses a new edge in the market. Of course it also brings savings to you or else it wouldn't be here.

Now trading under the ticker symbol OTCBB: DGDM it is soon to launch YuDeal.com as its flagship product. This product is intended to incorporate social networking with real time deals from local merchants. If a business wanted to offer a discount for the next couple hours they could use YuDeal to spread the word at a moment's notice. This means more business for them and less expense for you the customer...a win-win situation.

Whether you are looking to invest in an upcoming business opportunity or take advantage of the savings offered at YuDeal, this is a company worth watching.

$25 FREE with AT&T

Free money is always a pleasant thing. $25 is yours for free if you have recently switched to AT&T (within the last 30 days). Few people take advantage of this money because it takes 5 minutes of work, but when your wallet is thinning, anything helps.

Now that you have this great new phone with all of its wireless capabilities, why not treat yourself to some of the rewards that come with it? New members to AT&T can be rewarded with a $25 card that actually works like a Visa and can be used to pay your phone bill, buy gifts, or to pay for just about anything that money can buy. After registering my new number, it only took a few weeks to get the card by mail and used it to pay my upcoming phone bill.

REMEMBER, this only works if you are NEW to AT&T and have activated your service within the last 30 days. After registering your number, you too are eligible to refer others. Every referral you make earns you another $25 up to $125! Ready to get started? I've tried to simplify the process for you step by step:

1. Register at AT&T
2. Click the radio button "My Friend is an AT&T customer and referred me."
3. Enter the referral code 7024618469 in the space provided
4. Fill in the required information on the form including your new phone number
5. Click the "Register" button at the bottom of the page and AT&T will take care of the rest...your card is on its way
6. When you receive the card be sure to use it like a credit card (not as a gift card)

Enjoy your new phone and your free money!

Software Budgeting

Wondering where all that hard earned money is going? Programs such as Quicken are available to help budget and organize your spending and earnings, but it may be rather costly. We like things as close to free here. Wesabe is FREE financial budgeting software, which can use your bank statements to format the data in your profile.

Whether you are using the iPhone app or simply your computer, Wesabe's free personal budgeting software can safely track your expenses and help you set budgets for individual categories. It also a has various communities that strive to help find ways to create better savings, pay off debt, or discuss financial planning.

Daily money management could not be easier to obtain. All services are secured to protect your privacy. With an easy interface, clean graphics, and no cost to you Wesabe is sure to be a great service in keeping your wallet from getting too thin.