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!

We have mentioned this before, but here are the details on Amazon’s Black Friday (really a week long promo). You vote in 6 rounds for the bargain that want, but you’ll want to vote for the item that wins, because only people who vote for the winning item have a chance to buy it. Deal Daddy has taken the hit and cast his votes to let you know what to vote for, see below.

How it works:

Everybody who votes for the most popular item (in each round), will will have a chance to win an opportunity to buy that item at the bargain price.

You can cast all of your votes right now, but you’ll need to check back everyday for 6 days (starting on Thanksgiving) to see if you have won that day’s deal.

Visit this page to vote and to see if you have won.

Round 1 (Thursday):

• Nintendo Wii for $79 (Current winner at 58%)
• Sony PlayStation 3 (40GB) for $139
• Microsoft Xbox 360 Arcade for $99

Round 2 (Friday):

• Panasonic L1 7.5MP DSLR w/ Leica Lens for $499
• Panasonic SD-1 High-Definition Camcorder for $299 (Current winner at 50%)
• Panasonic FX-30 7MP w/ 3.6x OIS Zoom (Black) for $74

Round 3 (Saturday):

• Jakks EyeClops Bionic Eye for $14
• LeapFrog ClickStart My First Computer for $17
• Razor E100 Electric Scooter (Red) for $29 (Current winner at 64%)

Round 4 (Sunday):

• Samsung BD-P1400 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player for $149
• Toshiba HD-A35 1080p HD DVD Player for $149 (Current winner at 42%)
• TiVo HD Digital Video Recorder for $89

Round 5 (Monday):

• HP Pavilion TX1305US 12.1″ Notebook PC for $299 (Current winner at 62%)
  Magellan Maestro 3140 Portable Auto GPS System for $99
  Platinum Diamond Stud Earrings (1 cttw, I-J Color, I1-I2 Clarity) for $499

Round 6 (Tuesday):

• Samsung LNT4661F 46″ 1080p LCD HDTV for $719 (Current winner at 58%)
  KitchenAid Pro 600 Series Stand Mixer (Meringue) for $69
  iRobot Roomba 4110 Robotic Vacuum for $69

You have to be logged in to your Amazon account to vote and see if you have won. Visit this page to vote and to see if you have won.

Be sure to check our secret Amazon discount finder and Amazon coupon code page for more deals.

Shop DC Tax Free

The District of Columbia will offer its first 2007 Sales Tax Holiday beginning at 12:01 am Saturday, August 4 through midnight Sunday, August 12. The Sales Tax holiday grants an exemption from the 5.75 percent sales tax for school items, clothes, shoes, and accessory items. To qualify, each item must cost $100 or less.

The sales tax exemption will apply to each eligible item, no matter how many items are on the bill. The exemption also applies to layaway sales if the retailer and customer enter into a layaway agreement during the exemption period or the customer makes final payment on the layaway order during the exemption period.

The next DC Sales Tax Holiday will be November 23 through December 2. For additional tax information, please call our Customer Service Center at (202) 727-4TAX (4829).

Official Policy

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, but it is not easy work getting great deals. Here are some tips to help you make the most of it!

Retailers and shoppers alike eagerly anticipate this day, for the sales and the deals, but Black Friday can be overwhelming, so make sure you’re prepared:

• Get up early! If you like your sleep, plan to take a nap afterwards, but do not start shopping late on Black Friday. There will be shoppers camped out before any of the stores open (and they open early that day!) so if you want a deal or a parking space, make sure you set your alarm!
• Shop with a purpose. Black Friday is not the day to wander around, casually looking at gift ideas. There will be crowds, full parking lots, and better deals than you’ve seen all year! Do your research - look at the ads and pay attention to which products are in which stores and for how much. Then you can go directly to the stores that interest you and not waste time and energy fighting extra crowds.
• Shop in one place. Black Friday is not the day to drive all around town checking out every mall in the city. For one thing, once you have a parking space, you’ll want to keep it! Figure out which mall has the most of what you’re looking for and plant yourself there for the day, going to different stores, but not moving your car. I look for a place that gives me easy access to Best Buy, Kohl’s, Old Navy and Staples.
• Streamline. This is probably not the day to bring the stroller, the bulky diaper bag, or the dog on a leash. You’ll be moving in crowds and want to be as streamlined as possible. Make sure your purse is zipped or snapped closed and think about taking packages back to the car periodically. The less bulky packages you’re carrying, the easier it will be for you to move through the crowds!
• Get a team. Find out which of your family and friends will be attacking the stores on Black Friday and go together. You’ll be glad you’re all in one car looking for one parking space and not in four separate cars!
• Divide and conquer. The other great thing about shopping as a team is that you can spread out. If you are organized and have listed what you want from each store, assign certain people to different stores to get everything there. You will save precious time and sanity!
• Go with a sense of humor. You do not want to be one of those people who loses their cool and ends up on the news for attacking the person who got the last PlayStation! Instead, relax, be kind to your fellow shoppers and the stressed-out retail clerks, and plan to meet up with friends for dinner or coffee to share your shopping stories.
• Check the ads online first. You can see black friday ad scans (which are usually correct but not guaranteed) before the papers come out here.
• Think about using the Internet for your actually shopping. If you dislike crowds or getting up early, then you might want to do your Christmas shopping online! Some stores will give you the same deals on their website, while some will have different deals, so you’ll want to check on that. Be sure to check Amazon Black Friday Deals to vote on the items you want at ridiculous prices ($79 wii is sweet!)
• Check out coupon code database for additional saving when shopping online on Black Friday or any time!

Happy shopping!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to spend with friends and loved ones and eat good food. However, for many people, it is also a day to worry about how much food costs and how long it will take to prepare it. We here at Deal Locker believe that Thanksgiving should not be a time to worry about money, so we offer you some suggestions to save on your Thanksgiving dinner and enjoy time with your friends and family.

1. Buy a larger turkey. OK, I know that doesn’t sound like you’d be saving money… until you find out that butchers at most grocery stores will cut the turkey in half for you. Yes, even if it is frozen. The larger turkeys are usually cheaper per pound, so you can save money by either sharing the turkey (conveniently cut into two halves) with a friend or relative, or saving the other half for Christmas or New Year’s.
2. Make your own pies. Homemade pumpkin pies are much cheaper than store-bought ones, and usually taste a lot better. Even if you don’t want to make the pie crust, you can still make pies - just buy the frozen pie crust. Frozen pie crusts are usually on sale right before Thanksgiving - just don’t wait until the last minute or there might not be any left!
3. Don’t make so many side dishes. Unless you are entertaining large group, many of the side dishes hardly get touched, because everyone is concentrating on the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Then they want to save room for dessert! A few side dishes are nice, but don’t prepare too many.
4. Shop early. The non-perishable food can be bought as early as you want. The rest of the groceries should be bought before the day before Thanksgiving, when everyone is at the store and the sale food is all gone.
5. Get organized! Don’t assume that you’ll remember what you need at the grocery store. Many times, that leads to buying way too much food because you just want to “make sure.” Instead, look at your recipes and make a list of exactly what you need.
6. Get coupons! In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, newspapers will come with tons of Thanksgiving-related coupons. Or you can check your local store for coupons online. Use the ones that you need, but don’t be tricked into buying things you don’t need because you can save on them. You’re not saving money if you don’t need it!
7. Delegate. Guests who aren’t traveling from too far away usually like to bring something to contribute. Ask them to bring something specific, leaving you with one less thing to plan, buy, and cook. This will also cut down on doubles of side dishes and desserts.
8. Don’t worry about decor. Surprisingly, one of the biggest expenses at Thanksgiving is all the money spent on decorations. A few fall leaves and some pine cones can make a great centerpiece, or candles surrounded by leaves. Don’t spend tons of money on Thanksgiving-themed decorations if you are trying to save money. People are much more likely to remember the food and the company than what your table looked like!

Enjoy your savings and your Thanksgiving dinner! Be sure to rest up for Black Friday the next day!

People use credit cards for all sorts of reasons. They’re convenient, they’re quick, and you can procrastinate on paying for your purchases! But you can used them to save money too! Knowing which credit card to use for which purchase can lead to extra savings! All the major credit (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express) cards negotiate special coupons exclusively for use with their card. We include all these coupons in the Deal Locker Coupon Search engine. Here are some ways that these credit cards can save you money.

Master Card

Mastercard has all sorts of deals, offering you savings on rental cars, flowers, dining out, electronics, apparel, hotels, and more! Just by using your MasterCard you get a discount on all of those purchases and services. You can also be entered in various sweepstakes just by using your MasterCard for purchases that you were already going to make! Deal Locker has all the exclusive offers and MasterCard discounts and coupons!

Visa

Visa is also offering some excellent discounts too. You can get cruise upgrades and credit, free cell phones, free gym trials, money off of pet supplies, electronics, jewelry and more, again, just by using your credit card. Visa also offers some credit advice to students, which is helpful, since many students need help learning how to use credit cards responsibly. Search Deal Locker for Visa discounts and coupons.

American Express

American Express is our favorite credit card because of the wide variety of rewards available. Depending on the card you have you can get Starwood points, Amex Membership rewards points, Delta Sky Miles, Hilton Honors points and many more. Additionally American Express has savings on merchants from Ace Hardware, and Alamo Rent-a-Car all the way to Z Gallerie and Zanzibar. And many many goods and services in between! American Express points out that these offers are good with any AmEx card, and that there are offers available for countries outside the US as well. Find American Express discounts and coupons too.

Discover

The Discover Card, well known for its cash back rewards, also offers additional savings and deals. If you choose to opt for using your cash back rewards to purchase something from one of Discover’s featured partners, you can increase the value of your reward! In addition, Discover Card features a 5% cash back bonus in a different category each month, such as movies or restaurants. Additionally we have a few coupons available when you use your Discover card.

Since using credit cards is so convenient and can provide you with so many rewards and money-saving opportunities, it’s no wonder that less and less people seem to be carrying cash. As long as you make sure that you pay your bills on time and don’t run up too much of a balance, credit is the way to go.

Just be sure to make sure there isn’t an even better deal in Deal Locker that doesn’t specify which card card you need to use.

Do you love shopping online but hate to pay for shipping? Then we have some deals for you!

Many people find it to be less of a hassle to shop from their computer at home or at work. You don’t have to spend the time driving from store to store, or dealing with crowds and long lines. Most online retailers will let you return or exchange items that you buy online since they understand that you need to see them in real life. But you have to pay for shipping… until now!

Savvy shopper already know you know you can get almost anything over $25 with free super saver shipping from Amazon (or with Amazon Prime second day shipping for most items regardless of cost is free). But the world is bigger than Amazon (though we have a ton of Amazon.com coupons if you disagree)

Deal Locker has some great free shipping deals available right now for tons of different stores. Here are just a smattering of the many deals we have, to give you an idea of what is available.

1. Bagsbuy.com offers all kinds of bags - backpacks, computer cases, purses and handbags, suitcases, golf bags, messenger bags… the list goes on and on! Not only can you get a free shipping coupon, but you can also save money on the purchase while you’re at it!
2. SpaLook has premium skin care items, spa items, and bath products - spa quality - for less. Save money on shipping and get a discount on your purchase!
3. Fossil offers quality clothing and accessories. Find the watches, wallets, sunglasses, handbags, belts, and jewelry that you have been wanting, and save money!
4. Save money, including free shipping, at Ujena Swimwear - “Making women feel sexy since 1984!” They have great swimwear and sexy clothing.
5. On a very different note, AutoPartsGiant.com offers discount auto parts - receive free shipping and a discount!
6. It’s close to the holidays - do you have a lovely lady in your life who would make diamond jewelry from Ice.com look good? You can save 15% plus get free shipping!
7. Hooked on Phonics uses their proven Learn, Practice, Play formula to make learning to read fun for kids. And of course, all parents know that it’s a blessing when their child wants to learn! Get free shipping on their products through DealLocker!
8. You can save money and get free shipping on cordless phones at 101phones.com - they have virtually every brand you can imagine!
9. Have you been looking for the toys and games from your childhood? Look no further! Back to Basics Toys (They Do Make Them Like They Used To) has all the great ones, for adults to walk down memory lane or children to make new memories!

Remember, these are only a few of the many free shipping offers through DealLocker! Why not take advantage of them - now the easiest and most convenient way to shop offers free shipping!

Your wildest dreams have come true! You’ve made it big: really, really big! Your $10 Billion net worth has earned you an invite to Bill Gates’ annual holiday shin-dig for the 25 richest Americans. The guest list includes everyone who’s anyone: Warren Buffett, Paul Allen, Sheldon Adelson and the Walmart gang — even Larry Ellison and the Google guys: Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

The only thing is, like so many holiday get-togethers there will be a Yankee Swap gift exchange. Since you are new to being one of the super rich, (and because this is a hard crowd to buy for), we thought we’d put together a list of gift ideas for billionaires from billionaires.

Don’t worry, billionaires like the same stuff we all do, just a little bigger. Here are some ideas:

1. A ride around town: Bugatti Veyron $2 MM
   Everybody likes a shiny little sports car, and they don’t get any shinier than the 1001 horsepower / 16-cylinder Bugatti Veyron. Named after racecar driver Pierre Veyron, its top speed is over 250 MPH! Cars just don’t get any faster or more powerful than this. But will you look cheap if you only spend $2 mil?
2. Something for that empty wall: Modern Art $8 MM+
   Everybody needs something to hang on the walls, but this is a tricky gift because art is so personal. A collector recently paid $8 Million for Damien Hirst’s “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living.” But not everyone can appreciate the carcass of the dead shark suspended in formaldehyde. Worse yet, the shark decayed and had to be replaced - think how embarrassing it would be if your gift rotted.
3. A bath toy: A Super Yacht up to $200 MM - $300 MM
   There’s a lot of competition in this crowd to have a nice boat: Paul Allen has a few including his 128 meter yacht, Octopus, that cost about $200 million. Larry Ellison had to one-up Allen and made his boat, Rising Sun, 10 meters longer. Buffet may be the only guy at the party without a yacht (He complained: “[I] wouldn’t want one for myself. A 60 man crew is needed. They could be stealing, sleeping with each other, etc.”) If you want to go this way, try to snap up ‘hull 6154′, the mysterious $292 million super yacht under construction in Italy, with 10 staterooms, seven decks, two helicopter pads and space for a submarine!
4. Some beach gear: A Submarine $80 MM
   Speaking of submarine, since pretty much everyone at the party has a yacht, why not bring something a little more novel like a submarine. The Phoenix 1000 submarine is the ultimate personal transportation device. It has a range of 3,000 nautical miles and can dive to 1000 feet. It is 65 meters long with 5000 sq. ft. of interior space on 4 levels. It has five staterooms, five bathrooms, two kitchens, a gym, a wine cellar and a 30-foot-long by 15-foot-wide observation portal. It is only missing the torpedoes. The challenge here is, even if you pay the $80 million right away, your sub will take three and a half years to build!
5. A weekend getaway: A private island $10 MM - $100 MM
   Can’t wait for a submarine? How about a private island. Be sure to pick one that has a deep water mooring, otherwise there will be no place for the yacht. If you require banking assistance I hear the Cayman Islands are popular and close by. Greece, makes a nice summer trip, but the food is best in the South Pacific.
6. A silver bird: A Boeing 787 Dreamliner $150 MM and up.
   All the guests have a plane already - in fact the Google boys share a Boeing 767. So to impress them you are going to have to go big! A commercial 787 seats about 300 people but we’d recommend that you give it a luxury makeover and aim to hold 10-15. Alternately you could go with something small but supersonic, like the new Lockheed Martin Supersonic Jet Downside? It won’t be available until 2013
7. A weekend away: A trip into Space $20 MM to $55 MM
   Space tourism has been popular with the Super Rich ever since Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth led the way. You can still get a trip on the Russian Mir for 20 million. If you want to go with a gift package from Space Adventures, the American outfit that has sent 5 people to the International Space Station, it will cost you $30 million. If you want to include a space walk it’s going to cost you $55 million. (But just think of the bragging rights — no private citizen has ever attempted a space walk before!)
8. A new job: Winning the US Presidency $20 MM to $400 MM
   Give the gift of power and support some lucky billionaire’s run for the presidency! You may need to work around some tricky election laws, but that’s what consultants are for. Running for the nation’s highest office has been popular with the super rich before. Both Steve Forbes and Ross Perot have taken a shot at it. The tricky thing is you can’t really be sure what it will cost until you are done. $20 million should get you started, but you likely need $400 million to win.
9. Some friends to play ball with: The Chicago Cubs around $600 MM
   Everybody wants some friends to play ball with, and the rich are no different. Sports teams have been popular purchases for the super rich. When Mark Cuban made his billions he snapped up the Dallas Mavericks, then the worst team in the NBA for $285 million. Now the Tribune group is looking to sell the Chicago Cubs (but you might have to bid against Cuban). With an estimated value of $592 million this is the priciest gift on our list. But, who can put a price on friendship?

Got a better idea about what to buy a billionaire for the holidays? Leave a comment and let us know. If you don’t (yet) have $10 Billion dollars you might want to try saving some money with our online coupon codes.

It’s time to start thinking about those holiday presents for your kids! Every parent knows that there are toys that are children crave and then there are all those “other toys”. Don’t get your kids something they’ll only play with once - check out our top 10 toys for the 2007 holiday season!

Of course we have more toy coupons here if you need something different.

1. American Idol Talent Challenge. Your kids can test their singing ability at home, complete with karaoke, microphone, mixer, and DVD. They can even hear what the judges have to say! (made by Tech2Go, ages 8 and up)
2. I Can Play Guitar System. For kids who want to learn how to play the guitar - and have some fun while doing it - this guitar plugs into your TV to give kids mini-lessons and feedback.  Children progress at their own speed, and play games along the way. (made by Fisher-Price)
3. Barbie Girls. The Barbie Girl device is a girl-shaped doll and MP3 player. On barbiegirls.com, kids can create their own virtual characters, chat, virtually shop, etc. (made by Mattel, ages 6 and up)
4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Be a rockstar with this PlayStation, XBox, or Wii accessory, attach it and rock out! (made by Red Octane)
5. Hannah Montana Singing Doll and Pop Star Stage. What could any Hannah Montana fan want besides a singing doll? The fold-out stage for the doll, of course! (made by Play Along, ages 6 and up)
6. Nerf N-Strike Disc Shot. The machine launches discs for you to shoot with the Nerf darts. Sort of like a foam version of skeet shooting. (made by Hasbro, ages 8 and up)
7. Rubik’s Revolution. The Rubik’s cube is back… high-tech! Six electronic games, and approved by the creator of the Rubik’s cube, Professor Erno Rubik. (made to Techno Source, ages 5 and up)
8. Smart Cycle. An exercise bike for little ones, made fun by the software that shows up on the TV - “Driving Mode” lets kids pedal through obstacles, “Learning Mode” lets them learn letters, and “Big Race Mode” lets them race against other vehicles. (made by Fisher-Price, ages 3-6)
9. Spotz.. Kids can make any buttons they want from images in magazines or on the Internet. (made by Zizzle, ages 6 and up)
10. Eye-Clops. This is an electronic magnifier that, when you plug it into your TV, will magnify images 200 times. Kids are naturally curious and will love exploring the world with this toy! (made by Jakks Pacific, ages 6 and up)

Don’t forget to do your shopping early so that you’re not in competition with other desperate parents, or paying a fortune on ebay, because you know you aren’t going to want to let your kids down.

I wasn’t always a deal shopper and a coupon clipper, but like all good coverts my new found dedication is strong! I’ve used Deal Locker to save money on everything from groceries at Amazon.com and Adagio premium teas. I’ve saved with electronics coupons and on car rentals! I think I have saved over $100 with free shipping alone, to say nothing of the “dollars off” coupons. I used a $75 off Victoria Secret coupon on my last order (and got a free gift). I pretty much never order anything with out at least 10 or 15% discount. And those savings really add up! I just started adding up all the money I’ve saved and it came to quite a tidy sum, so I decided to treat myself!

After working hard all year, I am craving utter relaxation. I’ve always wanted to totally indulge myself at a spa, so I thought I’d look. I’d love to go to a spa and get all my favorite treatments: facials, hot stone massages, body scrubs and wraps, and then relax by the pool. So I started looking.

I looked on Spafinder and had fun browsing spas in Healdsburg, Sonoma, San Francisco, and Palm Springs. I saw medical spas and spas focusing on skin care. Deciding that I wanted a general sort of day spa and wanted to stay in Northern California, I still have tons of options. I think looking for spas might actually be my new favorite pastime on the Internet - and there are so many great spas on Spafinder!

Finally I decided on The Lodge at Sonoma so that I didn’t have to travel, that helped keep the budget down, and the lodge looks fabulous! It’s in wine country, which is beautiful and the interior of the spa is so luxurious! There’s marble and fountains and candles everywhere, and soft couches to sink into. The best part is that I have actually saved enough money on Deal Locker to pay for pretty much the whole thing! My relaxation won’t be compromised by trying to save money or worrying about the cose.

I think I’m going to go for the Grapeseed Antioxidant Facial, a spa manicure and pedicure, and a hot stone massage. In between treatments, I’ll probably relax in front of the fireplace and eat well too. I can’t wait to get going - I am ready to relax! Oh, and I won’t forget to spend a penny more than I have to money with Spafinder coupons.

But enough about my spa getaway. My boyfriend is not really a Spa guy, and he is not really the online shopper I am. He doesn’t sit in front of a computer all day like I do, but since I’ve started showing him the savings, he is beginning to come around, plus I always print out the printable coupons and tip him off to the sales I read (and write) about here.

So, when I shared with him how much I’ve saved by using DealLocker, he decided to tally up his savings as well. And what do you know - with my help he has saved almost as much as I have! Since I was going to the spa he decided he needed to relax they we he likes best… watching movies and sports on TV. It may be a stereotype, but he loves electronics. I mean, he loves them. Set him loose in a Best Buy and it can be hours before I get him out of there.

We started checking out the Best Buy website (because I didn’t feel like spending hours in the store!) He immediately gravitated toward the plasma TVs. He’s been thinking about a 42-inch plasma TV so it wasn’t too crazy expensive. However, after figuring out how much he saved from DealLocker, he’s starterd to eye the 58″ plasma TVs! It’s a dream come true for him. Especially because he can get free shippingon Best Buy purchases from DealLocker.

Now we’ll both be all set for the winter - me with my spa getaway and him with his big plasma TV… and you can bet that we’ll be doing our Christmas shopping with coupons and discounts from DealLocker!

What would you buy with your savings? Were would you go? With savings on everything from arts and crafts to electronics to travel, there’s no end to what you can save! How about using some of your savings on Christmas gifts? Or to plan a trip to somewhere sunny in the middle of winter - maybe a cruise?

Let us know what your doing with the money you’ve saved.