Black Friday: Get the Best Deals without Overspending

Black Friday is almost here! For businesses, it's time to go from the red to the black, and for consumers, it's time to save! But it's hard not to get caught up in the commotion and end up spending more than you meant to. We've compiled tips for staying frugal on Black Friday, as well as some of our favorite can't-miss deals. Visit our new website for tips on how to get the best Black Friday deals!

Top Ten Household Uses for Vinegar

Check out my guest post on today's blog at one of my favorite sites, Fatwallet.com It's on the Top Ten Household Uses for Vinegar. If you're impressed by all the amazing things this versatile liquid can do, make sure to also check out my Top Ten Household Uses for Aluminum Foil! Enjoy, and let me know your unique uses in the comments section below!

How Much Cash Back Does Your Bank Offer?

There's a great article in today's NY Times about online cash-back programs. They mention Fatwallet (I won't say "told ya so") and Ebate, but the really interesting part is their excellent overview on cash-back rewards programs offered by different banks and credit card companies. If you have a card with Chase, Citibank, Capital One, Discover, or American Express (yep, that's pretty much all of 'em), you can get money put directly into your checking account just for connecting to websites through their portal. (Basically, you visit their site first, then click on the link to, say, Amazonto get the reward.)

Incidentally, if you've never checked out the Times' archives on personal finance, you're missing out. They have the most informative article on credit scores I've ever read, and another one explaining which "free credit score" sites you can trust and why. And if you're feeling bad about your personal debt, check out their interactive feature that lets you compare your debt to the rest of the country' (25 percent of families owe between $100,000 and $320,000! .

If You Only Join One Website to Save Money...

If my friends roling their eyes everytime I bring up yet another savings website is any indication, not everyone is as nuts about finding good coupons as me. But even if trolling the internet for coupons isn't your bag, there is one site you definitely need to sign up for: Fatwallet.com.

Fatwallet is one of the best ways to start saving money immediately and easily. All you have to do is log on to Fatwallet before making purchases at such websites as BabiesRUs.com, Payless shoes, Nordstrom.com, Buy.com, and Walmart. They'll give you money back on everything you buy--usually 2 to 8 percent, and let you know if there are any coupon codes for sales on the site. You can even earn cash back for using travel sites like Hotels.com, Expedia, and Jetblue.com, and if you use an online dating site, you can save a huge portion on your membership (Match.com gives you 30% back and Chemistry.com 50%!).

You'll need a Paypal account and will have to wait several weeks to get your money back. But when it's as simple as clicking through, why not? (For more details on how it all works, check out their FAQ page.) And if you do enjoy coupon clipping, they also offer printable coupons and one of the best user forums about recent deals on the web.

By the way, if you visit FatWallet before buying our book you'll save an extra 4%! Even we can't offer you that deal.

Why We Love Meijer!

Every time we visit our friends Lora and Bill in Illinois, we have to take a trip to Meijer! If you live in IL, IN, MI, KY, or OH, you probably already shop at this superstore, which somehow manages to often have prices lower than Walmart.

But even if you don't live in the Midwest (or have a Lora and Bill to visit), you can visit Meijer's website, which has practically everything you could ever want to purchase--sporting equipment, furniture, toys, electronics, pet supplies, drug store items, and more. The best part of the site is their bulk grocery section--if you don't belong to a Sam's Club or Costo-type wholesale club, find your savings here!

Meijer already has ridiculously low prices, but if you sign up at Fatwallet.com and click thru to Meijer.com, you'll get 2% of your purchase back. That's an even better deal than shopping in person!