Who says there’s no such thing as free money? Those who have mastered the art of coupon shopping know there is. To them, that little scrap of paper that says “.75¢ off” is a real opportunity for big savings; they see dollar signs, not added hassle to their shopping routine. Therein lays the rub: The provisos that accompany coupons -- or the effort involved in using them -- often give them a stigma, which leaves people with a why-bother mentality.

Gift value isn't in the Sunday circulars. It's in front of the computer screen. Even with the poor economy, last week's Black Friday saw plenty of crowds and a sales increase of 3% over the previous year, according to ShopperTrak RCT Corp. People are still hitting retail stores in droves to take advantage of the early and steep discounts being offered. But if you want to get the best value for your holiday shopping, you don't have to fight the masses. You can do it in front of your computer.

With the holiday season upon us and many people looking for ways to save money, we’ve got just the ticket. Now, I don’t know about you guys, but personally I’d rather get gift cards to stores of my choice than someone trying to buy me something I won’t use or won’t like. I know some folks tend to think that gift cards are impersonal and require very little thought on the giver’s part. But, while that may be true, I think of it as saving the person undue anxiety they would have spent trying to figure out what I want.

The holiday shopping season is coming as marked by the approaching Black Friday. Normally, people all over the U.S. will be spending billions of dollars on gifts for friends, family, and co-workers — however, I am not sure how it will turn out this year with the doom and gloom of the economic crisis.

With times tight, everyone is looking for ways to save money. One way to do that is by making sure you get the most bang out of every hard-earned buck you spend. Ken & Daria Dolan, popular personal finance experts, reveal 10 retail rip-offs that give you less than your money's worth. Their tips aren't about scrimping or cutting out life's little luxuries ... instead, they show you some places where you are paying big price markups and may not realize it.

While Black Friday has been around for years, not everyone enjoys fighting the crowds at insane-o’clock in the freezing cold. Luckily, the Monday after Thanksgiving there’s Cyber Monday, supposedly the biggest online shopping day of the year. There are a handful of websites that can help you find the best deals to let you shop in your PJs from your comfy chair. Here are eleven of the best.

The holiday season is all about spending time with family, friends and money on a credit card. Did you know that all retail stores compete for your business? In order to do this, many stores trick you into buying merchandise from them. Here are 15 ways that stores trick you into spending money.

It’s November, which means it’s a few short weeks before the holidays are in full swing and you know what that means… our consumer driven society gets all whipped up into a fervor and we spend like mad on gifts (I personally see nothing wrong with that!). This year it’s a little different though, the economy has people really concerned about their financial future and it now makes sense to prepare for the holiday spending by saving for the future while there’s still time left.

Black Friday has traditionally been one of the busiest shopping days of the year, but with the current state of the economy, many people are wondering whether 2008 will be a comparative disappointment. Last year, online spending was recorded at $272 million on Thanksgiving, and $531 million on Black Friday; this year holiday shopping is expected to be more challenging with one in five shoppers saying they simply have less money to spend. With that in mind, we've created a Black Friday resource list to help you navigate your way to a bargain.

It has been nearly two months since the Wall Street meltdown and the credit crunch shook up an already unstable automobile industry. The bad news for consumers is that despite federal bailouts to banks and automakers, the buying landscape has changed and may never return to what shoppers have come to expect in the last five years. But if you need to buy a new vehicle in this environment, here's what you can expect: