Mothers are incredible. Although there is no way to actually repay your mother for all that she has done for you, she would certainly appreciate a token of your gratitude. Here are some gift ideas to show your mother how much you love her!

In honor of Earth month, Wal-Mart will be giving away 1 million custom-made reusable shopping bags on Saturday, April 19th at 8am local time.

Mark your calendars to plan a shopping trip that morning to get your free reusable bag. The reusable bags are made from recycled material that you can buy for $1 if you miss the free offer.

Keep in mind that plastic bags can take as long as 1,000 years to degrade!

The obvious alternative to that is to buy online. Many Wal-Mart items are available only online, or at discount. You can use one of our nearly 200 Wal-Mart coupons to save money.

Wedding favors and decorations can be pricey. However, if you look into some unexpected sources, you can save quite a bit of money! The trick is to find items that can be used for weddings, but aren’t being sold specifically as wedding decorations or favors.

For example, party favors can be used for wedding favors, and often cost less, since they are not specifically part of the wedding industry. Party stores sometimes have wedding themed items, and at other times have items that can be used for weddings, even if they were not intended to be. Gift bags, wrapping paper, streamers, tablecloths, disposable champagne glasses, balloons, and bubbles can all be found at almost any party store. Other items might also be available - shop early to find decorations and favors that match your wedding colors, and get any items that might go with a themed wedding.

Discount stores are another surprising source of cheap wedding favors and decorations. Many discount stores have a small stock of nice items that could be used as wedding favors, such as candies, picture frames, candles, and gift bags. Again, starting early will give you time to find everything you need, even if it’s not all from one store.

Web sites are another good source for discounted wedding decorations and favors. Wedding sites such as Wedding Favors Unlimited and Wedding Things have a section of highly discounted items. General party supply stores such as the Oriental Trading Company also have very cheap items that are great for wedding favors. DealLocker also has discounts and coupons on wedding items.

Look at after-holiday sales to find all sorts of supplies. Valentines Day and Easter are great holidays for chocolate and colored (pink and red or pastel) ribbons, candies, and decorations. Beautiful baskets that were intended for Easter can be used for centerpieces, flower girls, or wedding favors. After-Christmas sales often have white lights that can lend ambiance to a wedding reception. Show up the morning after the holiday for the best selection of discounted items!

Easter is a fun holiday for kids, who love the Easter baskets and Easter egg hunts. However, their parents might not always feel quite as good about all of the sugar in traditional Easter baskets. Jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, Cadbury Eggs, and other sugary treats can contribute to obesity, high dental bills, and - most importantly for parents - hyperactive children!

So use these ideas to create the best Easter basket for your children.

• Books. Books can be found for very low prices at garage sales, secondhand stores, and school book orders. Choose books that are relevant to your child’s interests and right for his or her level. If your child isn’t excited about books, create a nightly story time - he or she will quickly learn to love them.
• Bubbles. Every child loves bubbles and bubble wands, and these can often be found at discount or dollar stores.
• Art supplies. Crayons, coloring books, art paper, watercolors, markers, construction paper… the list is endless! Anything that will allow children to get creative is fun for them - and again, much of these supplies can be found at discount and dollar stores!
• Stuffed animals. Small stuffed animals are often inexpensive at drugstores and dollar stores. Plus, they look adorable in Easter baskets.
• Party favors. Party supply stores often have very inexpensive party favors that can be fun: noisemakers, plastic harmonicas, spider rings - children don’t care if the toys are seasonal, as long as they’re fun to play with.
• Sidewalk chalk. Although this could technically be considered part of the “art supplies” category - it’s definitely entertaining enough to be singled out. Children love sidewalk chalk. They love creating art that the whole neighborhood can see - and the neighbors love the fact that it washes away in the rain!
• Other dollar store toys. Cruise through your local dollar or discount store and see what they have specials on. You’re bound to find things that you hadn’t thought of - and they’re guaranteed to be cheap.
• Raisins and other dried fruit. Fruit is much better for children than candy, but still sweet! If you want to go a little sweeter, get yogurt-covered raisins.
• Fresh fruit. Many children are surprised that fruit can taste as sweet as candy - try some new fruits to broaden your child’s experience.
• Trail mix. Go for a trail mix that has things that your child likes. Then put it in a pretty cellophane bag with a bow!
• Pretzels or Chex Mix. Although not the healthiest snacks you can find, these are better than candy, and fun for kids to eat.
• Juice boxes. Not too many of these will fit in a basket, but they’re tasty and brightly colored.
• One chocolate bunny. You’ve got to have one, even if you are going for healthy!

Don’t forget to get pretty baskets, with Easter grass and colorful ribbons or cellophane. In addition, hard boiling, dyeing, and hiding Easter eggs is a fun family project and the eggs make good snacks for later.

We are pleased to announce a great new tool for smart shoppers:

Typo Buddy is a tool to help you find commonly misspelled items, listings & words on eBay and Craigslist.

Say you are looking to buy a Louis Vuitton wallet or perhaps an espresso maker. When you search for those things on eBay you’ll normally be in a competitive bid situation. If, however, you can find listings where people have accidentally misspelled the item or made a typo, then nobody else will see the listing and you’ll be the only bidder. That is how you get a great deal on eBay!

TypoBuddy.com

Of course, you thanked your great-aunt profusely for the horrible sweater that doesn’t fit you, but now that Christmas is over, what are you going to do with it? If the price tags are still on it, you can exchange it for a different size, for something else, or possibly even return it for cash!

1. Act quickly! Depending on what the item is, you may have anywhere from two weeks to three months to return or exchange it. If you’re looking for a different size in a clothing item, you should also act quickly, since many stores are phasing out their winter clothing after Christmas and sizes will be extremely limited.
2. Exchange gift cards! As gift cards grow in popularity, more people are receiving gift cards that they aren’t very excited about. Luckily, there are many options for unwanted gift cards. They can be sold - often for close to face value - on eBay, or use sites like Swapagift.com to exchange or sell gift cards.
3. Be careful with your gifts. Damaged items, missing price tags, or opened shrink wrap are all factors that could make your gifts difficult to return. Electronics should not be out of the package at all, if possible.
4. Return the gifts to the right place. If the gift was bought online or through a catalog, make sure you send it back to the correct address for returns. This information can probably be found on the receipt, as well as the company’s address.
5. Sell them! If all else fails, you can always try selling your gifts on eBay. Just make sure that the original giver doesn’t find out!

For too long consumers have been ignored and abused by big companies, criminals, and even a few big criminal companies.

Here are the tools, tricks and tips to help shoppers, travelers, homeowners and consumers of all types to protect themselves, get the best deal, and fight back!

How to Complain (and Get Results!)

• How to write a complaint letter - Tips for writing letters that get results, regardless of who you need to complain to.
• Sample complaint letter templates - This includes a general letter of complaint, a complaint letter about goods you have bought and a complaint about a service provided to you
• A Guide to Fighting Back - A well done guide written by the Consumerist.
• Complain to the Federal Trade Commission for any consumer complaint except:
  • Do Not Call list issues: use this form.
  • Identity theft issues: use this form.
  • Issues involving a non US company: use this form.
• For Airline Complaints contact the Department of Transportation with this form, since that’s who the airlines listen to! The Wall Street Journal reports that: “airlines admit they do pay more attention to consumer complaints if travelers send them to the DOT, which categorizes and tallies complaints and publishes monthly rankings of airline performance.” You can also email the the DOT at: airconsumer@dot.gov or call 202-366-2220 where complaints can be recorded.

How to Talk to a Real Person (or to Stop Them From Bugging You)

• Dial A Human - Press 1 if you are sick of talking to a robot! Dial A human is an exhaustive list phone numbers and instructions on how to reach a real person at hundreds of companies.
• The National Do Not Call Registry - Stop telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this Website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free.
• Catalog Choice - A free service that allows you to save natural resources by deciding what gets in your mailbox. Consumers can indicate which catalogs they no longer wish to receive, and businesses can receive a list of consumers no longer wanting to receive their catalogs.
• FCC Junk Fax Complaint Form - You may use the FCC Form 1088 to complain about: Telemarketing issues, i.e., (1) junk faxes, (2) telemarketing (including Do-Not-Call violations), and (3) other issues, such as pre-recorded telephone messages, automatic telephone dialing systems, and unsolicited commercial e-mail messages to cell phones, pagers, and other wireless telecommunications devices.

How to Research Companies (or Take Your Complaint Public)

• The Consumerist - A widely read blog which has made its name by reporting on stories where consumers have been wronged.
• The Better Business Bureau - A resource to research companies and charities, as well as a place to file a complaint. Because of the high profile of the BBB and their frequent use by the media, companies tend to work hard to address BBB complaints.
• The Rip Off Report - A consumer reporting service, by consumers, for consumers, where you can publish complaints about companies or individuals.
• Guide Star - The leading source of information on U.S. nonprofits. The site has a searchable database of more than 1.7 million IRS-recognized nonprofit organizations and is the best place to research a charity before making a donation. (You must register for free to get access.)

Free Stuff and Services (’Cause the Best Things in Life are Free)

• AnnualCreditReport.com - The official service provided by the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) for consumers to request and obtain a free credit report (once every 12 months) from all 3 companies. They must provide this in accordance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act). You can view and print credit reports online, and they also offer options to request reports by telephone and by mail. There are MANY sites with similar names, this is the official site and you do not need to pay to get your credit report. They may offer other services, just decline them.
• Craigslist.com - Everybody’s favorite site for free classifieds. Find a job, sell a car, get an apartment, give away your empty boxes. If you need to find or unload pretty much anything, this is the site.
• FreeCycle.com - It is a grassroots and nonprofit site where people are giving away & getting stuff for free in their own community. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. It is sort of like Craig’s list, but where everything is free.
• 1-800-free-411 - Call (or visit the web site) and get your free directory listings. It’s just like 411, but there is a brief (about 20 seconds) recorded ad before you can get your listing and of course it doesn’t cost anything.

Shopping Tools (Never Pay Retail!)

• Shopzilla - A price comparison shopping tool, that let’s you check prices for the same item and many different oline stores.
• Get online coupon codes from Deal Locker. The site has 20,000 online coupon codes for nearly 5000 stores. Never let the empty coupon code box on the check out page mock you again!
• Pharmacy Checker lets you compare prescription drug prices for 1,000+ medications. You’ll also see online pharmacy ratings and shipping fees so you can compare total costs.
• Priceprotectr.com - After you buy something, you can register it with these guys. If there is a price drop in 30 days (or whatever the appropriate store policy is) they will notify you so you can get your refund.
• The Amazon Discount Finder lets you search Amazon for hidden discounts.
• Printable Grocery Coupons from Smart Source. No Registration or sign up is necessary, but it only works on Windows.
• Just one club card is a great tool to fix the problem of having to carry around tens of loyalty, discount, and club cards by letting you print one handy card with all your barcodes. Merchants love to create loyalty cards to track your purchases and to force you to carry around an ad for them in your wallet. Now you can put your wallet on a diet by printing all of your various supermarket and loyalty cards on to one thin piece of paper.

Major Purchases (Don’t get ripped off buying a house or a car)

Buying a House

• Check Zillow.com to get an estimate of the value and to see what the house has sold for in the past.
• Check BankRate.com to see what the most competitive mortgage rates available are.
• Lending Tree will connect you with 4 lenders that know they are in a competitive bid situation, so you have a better shot at getting the best deal.
• See the Motley Fool’s guide to shopping for a loan and this list of things to know when getting a mortgage.
• If you are an experienced buyer and you are willing to do some of the leg work on your own, you can save with real estate agents that rebate you a portion of their commission like: RedFin and Zip Realty.
• Previously listed was AnnualCreditReport.com where you can get your credit report for free.

Buying a Car

• Edmunds.com can help you find out what a dealer’s invoice price is on a new car, as well as appraise a used car. They also published Confessions of a Car Salesman, a very entertaining 9 part series written by an Edmunds employee about what he learned undercover. It is very insightful, but it is a long read; you may just want to skip to the conclusions.
• If you have a problem with your new car be sure to check your state’s Lemon Laws.

Buying Electronics

• CNET Reviews - Extensive reviews of cameras, laptop, cell phones and TVs that can be very helpful.
• Steve’s Digicam - The most detailed and helpful Camera reviews to be found anywhere on the web, including an excellent “Best Camera List”.

Crime Fighting (Because Crime Shouldn’t Pay)

• JustStolen.net - Created by police officers in Boston to help the police return recovered property to its rightful owner. They provide consumers and business owners with a place to safely record serial numbers and valuable information about their belongings. When lost or stolen property is recovered law enforcement agencies worldwide can consult the database to identify the rightful owner. They also list items recovered by the police, where the police have not found the rightful owner (though all the items seemed to be from Boston).
• Minimize the risk of identity theft - Tips from the FTC and find out how to recover if you have been a victim.

Travel Tools (Travel smarter!)

• Seat Guru - We all know middle seats are horrible, but now you can get detailed information about which seats are the best on any plane, including specific comments denoting seats with limited recline, reduced legroom, mis-aligned windows, In-seat power port locations, Galley, lavatory, Exit Row and closet locations.
• United Airlines promo sign-up tool - The tool will automatically sign you up for any United Airlines promotions. You just enter your United Advantage number and every day it checks for new promotions. When it finds one it signs you up. This way you’ll be sure to get whatever bonuses they offer with out having to check back. One caveat: Signing up for an offer multiple times OR signing up for offers in a specific order may hurt you (a lesser offer may take precedence over a better offer). This tool uses no prejudice - it signs you up for everything in the order in which the results are found.
• Trip Advisor has consumer written hotel reviews, so you can find out what the hotel is really like before you make your reservation.
• Kayak.com lets you search 100+ airline and travel sites in one easy interface to find the best deals.

Other Useful Sites (but you Need to Pay for Them).

We love free, but there are some tools that require subscriptions. However, they can be useful.

• Angie’s List is a subscription based review site for contractor and home repair and maintenance workers. As a member you can research and find vendors as well as file reports on your experience.
• Consumer Reports is the original unbiased and objective reviewer. It is a great tool, but you have to pay since they refuse advertising.
• Zagat Restaurant Reviews is a professionally edited restaurant review guide based on consumer’s own reports about the restaurants. It is a great place to look for restaurants in new cities (and you’ll get a free copy if you fill out your own report.)

If we have missed your favorite tool please leave a comment and let us know.

So if you haven’t finished your shopping yet, and I know I haven’t… Here is a heck of a good coupon list.

• Aeropostale Coupon code: longsleeve - Mix and match - Long sleeve polos and tees - Two for $25! More Aeropostale coupons
• Ala Zing Coupon code: RY5791 - Free lasagna with $50 order! More Ala Zing coupons
• Amazon Coupon code: RSIFREE5 - $5 off any order with ReStockIt! More Amazon coupons
• Barnes & Noble Coupon code: Y8K7C7N - 15% off of one item! Expires 12/12/07. More Barnes & Noble coupons
• Bath and Body Works Coupon code: 6275- Free Scentport or wallflower with $15 purchase. More Bath and Bodyworks coupons
• Best Buy No coupon code needed - $200 off LG TVs 42″ and up with purchase of installation service! Expires 12/15/07. More Best Buy coupons
• Buy.com No coupon code needed - $10 off $200 purchase for new customers! Expires 12/31/07. More Buy.com coupons
• Circuit City No coupon code needed - Free shipping on orders $24 and up! More Circuit City coupons
• CompUSA No coupon code needed - Save up to $100 on printers! More CompUSA coupons
• The Container Store No coupon code needed - Select items up to 50% off! More Container Store coupons
• Crocs Coupon code: cs100107 - Free shipping! More Crocs coupons
• Dell Coupon code: TPT4DGZDQ38MFS - Save $200 on all Inspiron notebooks over $899! More Dell.com coupons
• Dick’s Sporting Goods No coupon code needed - 15% off of your order! Expires 1/31/08. More Dick’s Sporting Goods coupons
• Eset Software No Coupon code needed - Save 25% on NOD32 Antivirus System! More Eset (nod32) antivirus coupons
• Fabulous Furs No coupon code needed - Free shipping on any order $75 or more! More fabulousfurs.com coupons
• Foot Locker Coupon code: 08QZRZ64N9HM - Save 10% on purchase! Expires 12/31/07. More Foot Locker coupons
• Frederick’s of Hollywood Coupon code: R8BDEAL- $10 off of any $50 order! More Frederick’s coupons
• GameStop Coupon code: 25U360 - 25% off of used X-Box games! More GameStop coupons
• Go Daddy Coupon code: cjcsave10 - 10% off any order! More Go Daddy coupons
• HearthSong Coupon code: HS1067 - $10 off any $40 purchase! More HearthSong coupons
• Indigo.ca No coupon code needed - Free shipping on orders over $39! More Indigo coupons
• JC Penney Coupon code: SANTA- 30% off regular merchandise, 10% off sale merchandise! Expires 12/15/07. More JC Penney coupons
• Kohl’s Coupon code: NEW9870- 10% off purchase! More Kohl’s coupons
• Lands’ End No coupon code needed - $5 off knit pants for women! More Lands’ End coupons
• LEGO Coupon code: sp117- $5 off your $35 order! More LEGO coupons
• Macy’s Coupon code: GIFTED- Free shipping on orders over $99! More Macy’s coupons
• Nike Coupon code: SHIPTGA- Free shipping! More Nike coupons
• Office Depot Coupon code: 48863343- $10 off TurboTax Deluxe! More Office Depot coupons
• Office Max Coupon code: 130130611029- $15 off of $75 phone order! Expires 12/15/07. More Office Max coupons
• Omaha Steaks Coupon code: RZ3083- $10 off an order of $100 or more! More Omaha Steaks coupons
• Online Shoes Coupon code: HOLIDAY07TWENTY- Save $20 off an order of $100 or more! More Online Shoes.com coupons
• Orbitz Coupon code: ORBDOT75- Save $75 off a 3 night hotel and airfare package! Expires 3/15/08. More Orbitz coupons
• Overstock Coupon code: 85721- $10 off $45 order! Expires 12/31/07. More Overstock coupons
• Perfume Country Coupon code: 5OFF- $5 off any $60 order! More Perfume Country coupons
• Personalization Mall No coupon code needed - Free shipping! More Personalization Mall coupons
• Quill Coupon code: VPV- Save $50 off of $100 orders! More Quill coupons
• RedOctane Coupon code: freeground - Free shipping on orders of $50 and up! More RedOctane coupons
• Shop Bop No coupon code needed - Free shipping! More Shop Bop coupons
• The Skin Store Coupon code: AFFL0107- 10% off all orders! More The Skin Store coupons
• Staples Coupon code: 76532- $4 off any business card order! Expires 1/1/08. More Staples coupons
• Target Coupon code: TGAFLETJ - 10% off! Expires 12/30/07. More Target coupons
• The Popcorn Factory Coupon code: GS10 - 10% off orders of $50 or more! Expires 12/21/07. More Popcorn Factory coupons
• Urban Outfitters Coupon code: LUCKY2008 - 20% off orders of $100 or more! More Urban Outfitters coupons
• Victoria’s Secret Coupon code: beauty40 - 40% off beauty gift sets! More Victorias Secret coupons
• VistaPrint Coupon code: No coupon code needed - Free shipping on orders over $50! More VistaPrint coupons
• Montgomery Ward Coupon code: MWAFGCN7 - Free shipping on gold jewelry! More Montgomery Ward coupons

Everyone knows that dads can be hard to shop for, but this year, forget the ties - we have some gift ideas that he’ll really love!

1. Victorinox Swiss Memory 1 GB - This will remind your dad of the Swiss Army knives of his youth - while adding such features as a 1 GB USB memory stick, an LED light, and a ballpoint pen. What could be more useful?
2. Universal Ballistic-Look Nylon Expandable Laptop Computer Case - Your dad can carry his laptop and papers in style.
3. Curtis Alarm Clock Radio with Docking Station for iPod - If your dad has to wake up early, it might as well be to his own music!
4. Skagen Men’s Titanium Black Mesh Watch - This titanium watch has a classy blue face and will make it a pleasure to check the time.
5. Denali 115-Piece Home Repair Tool Kit - All the tools necessary for your dad to fix absolutely anything around the house!
6. Men’s Ugg Scuff - The perfect slipper that keeps feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer - and comfortable all year-round!
7. Tac Tic Wrist Auditory Golf Swing Training Aid - Every dad wants to improve his golf game!
8. Meguiar’s Classic Wash & Wax Kit - Make sure he has what he needs to keep his car looking good!
9. Tekkeon ezTalker ET2000 Mini Bluetooth Headset - Keep your dad safe with this hands-free Bluetooth headset.
10. Coby DTV-140 ATSC High Definition Set Top Box - Receives digital television signals, outputs HDTV signals to use with HDTVs, and downconverts OTA HDTV signals to use with standard TVs!
11. Portable Barbecue BBQ Grill Camping - A portable barbecue that folds up into a briefcase. Perfect for any dad!
12. Nissan 14-Ounce Leak-Proof Insulated Travel Mug - Make sure your dad doesn’t spill his coffee on the morning commute!

For more great deals check out our Amazon promotional codes page and our secret amazon discount finder.

Gift giving at work can be tricky. Do you give a gift to your boss? To the people under you? The secretary? Will it makes things awkward if you give a gift to someone and they don’t reciprocate? Or the other way around? We have some simple tips for you to take into consideration during this holiday season.

1. Check your company’s policy. Some companies have guidelines on gift giving - either officially spelled out in a workplace manual, or more informal unwritten rules. Ask colleagues what protocol is, and especially what people tend to get the boss. It’s better to go with the crowd on this.
2. Never give inappropriate gifts. Think conservative. Even if you know someone well, stay away from lingerie, perfume, makeup, massage oil, or anything that could be construed as too personal.
3. Give donations in colleagues’ names. Donating to charity can help you avoid giving useless clutter, and help someone who needs it. Almost all charities allow you to donate in someone’s name, and recipients are usually very happy to be honored in this way. Try to find a charity that is meaningful to the recipient, and stay away from controversial organizations.
4. Try not to give useless gifts. Everybody ends up with a lot of clutter around the holidays. Try not to give gifts that will just end up in a landfill. If you have trouble thinking of anything your colleague might like, gift cards are an excellent way to go!
5. Think inclusively. If you are working with a team of people and wish to give gifts, give to everyone on your team. Nothing will make the office awkward as quickly as leaving one or two people out.
6. Organize a gift swap. This is one of the most popular ways to deal with gift giving at work. “Secret Santas” or other organized gift exchanges are great ways to celebrate the holidays. People can draw names and buy gifts (usually with a set price range) for colleagues. Alternatively, everyone can buy a gift that could work for anyone (with a set price range) and wrap it. Then names are drawn and people take turns choosing a gift.

Whatever gift you choose, don’t forget to search DealLocker for discounts and coupons from all your favorite stores!