Imagine waking up under crisp white sheets, and looking out through your bedroom windows at a view across the sea. At a hotel such a view would demand a premium price, well outside the means of those traveling on a budget. If you were to be staying in a luxury UK holiday cottage, however, such a view would be yours to savor for a fraction of the cost! Self catering holiday cottages are a popular vacation accommodation choice in the UK because not only are they less expensive, you get so much more for your money.

Along with a fully equipped kitchen, a luxury holiday cottage can also offer you a range of exclusive facilities, such as a private swimming pool or hot tub, as well as en-suite bathrooms and state of the art amenities. In short, a luxury holiday cottage can provide all of the conveniences of a 5 star hotel, for a fraction of the cost.

Why is it a fraction of the cost you may ask? Well, holiday cottages are generally independently owned properties that are offered for part, or all, of the year for holiday rentals. They don’t have the overhead costs of a big hotel chain and these savings are passed onto you!

If you’re looking for great luxury holiday cottages in the UK visit www.sykescottage.co.uk today.

This is dedicated content. Want to reach tens of thousands of savvy spenders? Read our blog marketing page.

DG Jones / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

The sky-high food prices are not keeping the Easter bunny away this year. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are shelling out $4.29 more this year on their Easter meals as the average person is expected to spend $44.34! Below I share my Easter menu and how I’m trimming the cost.

For the main dish, I’m roasting a turkey breast. I know it’s not the traditional main course, but my family does not eat pork and the price of lamb was ridiculous. This is the most expensive part of our meal at $16.

To accompany my apricot glazed turkey breast, I’m sauteing asparagus. Remember I mentioned asparagus are inexpensive right now? Just two bucks for two bunches! Also on the menu is scalloped potato gratin. Yum! The cost is about $5. This includes lots of cheese and heavy creme – dairy products are crazy expensive!

I’m making my delicious split pea soup recipe again this year. It’s about $2 to make and it’s so filling. The salad is coming from my garden. We’re having mesclum – you know, the fancy salad that costs $3-$6 at the store – which I paid a buck for the seeds. The fresh herbs for the gratin and deviled eggs are also coming from my plot.

Ralphs had a sale on eggs this week. They were only $.88 and I made a mad dash to my local store for a carton. My sister and I are making these look like chicks. We love playing with our food!

No wine in our menu as we are not drinkers. We are sticking with water and warm tea as we’re still under the weather.

For dessert, I’m baking a carrot cake. Topped with creme cheese frosting and walnuts, this delectable dessert is only setting me back $4. The rest of my groceries which included apricot jam, dijon mustard, and more were $10.

Our meal will feed 5 people and I’m expecting leftovers. The total cost was $37.88 – that’s about $7.58 per person (less than going out to eat)!

The main way I reduced costs was by planning a meal around items I already have in my pantry and garden. I know not everyone has the time, space, or ability to garden but this will help a lot. To lessen the cost of your Easter meal, keep it simple. Forget about store loyalty and shop the sales instead.

Keeping it small also helps. If you’re having lots of family and friends over, consider a potluck or plan a menu and assign everyone a dish.

Hope you have a wonderful Easter or Passover. I’d love to hear what’s on your menu!

This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.

This is the best time to buy holiday wrapping paper. Credit: bonnipink/Flickr

This post is brought to you by Area Vibes which can help you find the cheapest places to live.

Judee shared a quick tip:

FIY the Christmas gift wrap at Target is about .30 cents a roll right now. Great time to stock up for next year :O)

The post-Christmas holiday deals only last so long before they sell out or get cleared out to make room for new merchandise. Get on it if you haven’t already (myself included!)

Got a hot tip? Email us.

Are you ready for Christmas? Credit: boneandjay/Flickr

I’ve divided all our Christmas and holiday-related posts into five categories: presents; stocking stuffers + gift tags; things to do; extras; and post-holiday.

If you are still finishing your shopping, good luck! Got a last-minute holiday dilemma? Let the Bargain Babe help!

Presents

Best holiday gifts: gift cards + more

Unique and quirky gifts

Electronics gifts

White elephant gifts under $10

Frugal and homemade gifts and more frugal gift ideas

Value gifts at Sears

Toys for kids

Mens’ shavers

Gifts for teens

Restaurant gift certificates

Men’s and women’s gifts

Stocking stuffers, gift tags, and more

Three creative ways to wrap gift cards (video)

Frugal and festival gift tags

Unique wrapping paper with a twist

Inexpensive DIY stocking stuffers and best stocking stuffers (video)

Things to do

Free and fun holiday crafts

Elf + Diwali Yourself

Easy Christmas dessert recipes

Three interactive family games to play

Crafty Christmas decorations for your home

Extras

Secrets of holiday stain removal

Most shoplifted items of Christmas

Holiday tipping in a weak economy

Layaway plans a hit?

Post-holiday 

How to make the most of year end sales

Five rules to re-gifting

BaconThenEggs / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Want to save even more money on Christmas? Here are eight homemade stocking stuffer ideas you can make if you are on a tight budget. The best part is that you don’t have to be super crafty to make them.

Monogrammed handkerchief – With the cold and flu going around how about you make and give a gift that is sure to be used. You can buy handkerchiefs and then follow the easy instructions to monogram the person’s name or initials. If you are good with a sewing machine, you can buy the fabric and sew the handkerchiefs yourself.

Crochet hat and scarf – I’m amazed at how expensive crochet hats and scarfs are in stores. If you can crochet, put your skills to work! You can find all sorts of free crochet patterns online. All you have to do is buy the yarn. Make sure to find out what color the person likes before you start.

Candles – I love candles, especially the ones that make the room smell nice or have a beautiful design. I was in elementary school when I made a candle using a small milk carton so it’s not that hard to make. Candle making instructions can easy be found online. All you need is a free weekend and some materials you can find at craft stores. To make the candles pretty try adding a dried leaf or flower. You can also add a couple drops of essential oil.

Soap – Don’t you just love the colorful soap at fancy shops? You can easily make your own by following easy soap making instructions. The process is not that difficult and you can easily find soap making kits at craft stores if it’s you’re first time. You can wrap the soap in wax paper and tie it with a small ribbon.

DIY chocolate truffles – You just can’t go wrong with a chocolate truffle recipe. There are so many possibilities with truffles or any other kind of homemade candy. You can add them to baggies and include the recipe for an extra sweet surprise.

Bath salts – Another inexpensive Christmas gift are homemade scrubs. You’ll most likely have all the ingredients on hand so give it a try. This is a perfect gift for beauty junkies.

T-shirt ring – In the past I shared easy instructions to make a T-shirt necklace and ruffled T-shirt. Now you can add a T-shirt ring to the mix. All of these would make a cute present for a fashionable girlfriend. You can buy T-shirts at the dollar store. All you need is a little bit of time.

Have more ideas? Don’t forget to share them with us!

Leo Reynolds / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

If you’re still on the look out for the perfect gift, I’ve found some awesome gift card with perks you might want to consider. I share those below. Want to save even more money? You can also purchase discounted gift cards.

AMC Theatres – Free $5 concession bonus card when you spend $30 on gift cards. Offer is available in theaters, while supplies last.

Applebee’s – Get a $10 gift card when you purchase $50 in gift cards. Not valid for digital purchases. The bonus card is good through Feb. 29, 2011.

Ben & Jerry’s – Get a free scoop with every $10 of gift cards you purchase. You can also get a $10 gift card for $5 for joining Saveology for a VERY limited time.

Benihana – Get a free $10 promotional card with every $50 you spend on gift cards. Offer valid Nov. 14, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2011 on Gift Card purchases that are placed within the same order. Promotional Cards are valid from Jan. 2, 2012 through March 31, 2012.

Black Angus – Get $5 bonus bucks for every $50 in gift cards you purchase through Dec. 31, 2011. Get Free shipping and Bonus Bucks if you spend $75 or more. Bonus Bucks are good Jan. 1, 2012 to Feb. 13, 2012.

Boston Market – Get a $5 bonus card for every $25 you spend on gift cards while supplies last. This deal was advertised in the Nov. 13 Smart Source coupon insert.

California Pizza Kitchen – Get a free $20 bonus card when you spend $100 on gift cards. The bonus card is good Jan. 3, 2012 through March 6, 2012.

Carrow’s – Get a free $5 gift card when you purchase a $25 Carrow’s gift card by Dec. 31, 2011. You must use the $5 gift card by Jan. 1 through Mar. 31, 2012.

Chuck E. Cheese – Get 20 free tokens with every $25 gift card purchase. This deal can’t be found on their website, but it was advertised in the Dec. 4 Smart Source insert.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf – Buy a $25 gift card and get a free drink. I’ve only seen this deal in store.

DSW – Get a free $5 bonus card when you purchase a $50 gift card through Dec. 24. The bonus card is good Jan. 14, 2011 through Jan. 29, 2011.

Fleming’s Steakhouse – Get a free $20 bonus card when you spend $100 on gift cards through Dec. 31, 2011. The bonus card is good Jan. 1, 2012 through Feb. 10, 2012.

IHOP -  Get $5 off your next purchase when you spend $25 on gift cards through Jan. 31, 2012. I couldn’t find an expiration date for the $5 discount. You might want to ask if there’s one.

Jamba Juice – Get a free 16 oz. smoothie with the purchase of a $25 gift card through Jan. 3, 2012. Get the freebie on the same visit or get a coupon to use before Jan. 10, 2012.

Macaroni Grill – Get a free $5 bonus card when you purchase a $25 gift card. The bonus is good Jan. 2, 2011 through Feb. 29, 2011.

Maggiano’s – Purchase $100 in e-cards and receive a $20 e-bonus card plus a one-year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine. Available online till Dec. 31.

Orange Julius – Get a free 12 oz. smoothie when you spend $15 gift card through Dec. 31.

Outback Steakhouse – Get a $20 bonus card when you purchase $100 on gift cards through Dec. 31. The bonus card is good Jan. 1, 2011 through Feb. 10, 2011.

Red Robin – Get a $5 bonus buck reward when you spend $25 on gift cards. The reward card must be used Jan. 1, 2012 through Feb. 29, 2012.

Rubios – Get a $5 bonus coupon with $50 gift card purchase. Not sure if the $5 bonus coupon expires.

Ruby Tuesday – Get a $15 bonus coupon for every $50 you spend on gift cards through Dec. 31. The bonus coupon is good Jan. 2, 2011 through Feb. 28, 2011.

Taco Bell – Get a free Chicken Flatbread Sandwich combo with a $20 gift card purchase. Not sure when this deal ends.

TGI Friday’s -  Get a $5 Bonus Bites card for every $25 you spend on gift cards. Nothing specific is stated as to when $5 off can be used or when it expires.

Uno Chicago Grill – Get a $5 bonus voucher for every $25 you spend on gift cards. The voucher is good Jan. 2, 2012 through April 1, 2012.

Free shipping day is Dec. 16!

There is scant time to finish your Christmas shopping online! Most retailers require online purchases to be completed by Dec. 16, 2011 to guarantee Christmas Eve delivery.

If you do not finish your online shopping by tomorrow, you have two options.

1. Pay a ton for expedited shipping.

2. Fight the crowds at the mall, then package your gifts, wait in line at the post office, and pay for Priority or Express shipping.

If you shop tomorrow, thousands of online merchants – 2,339 to be exact – are participating in Free Shipping Day. What that means is that these 2,339 merchants all offer free standard shipping AND guarantee your gifts will arrive by Christmas. Some have minimum spend requirements, others don’t. Most allow dollar off or percentage off coupons on top of free shipping, which is hot.

If you need gift ideas, check out the 10-day Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide for unique gifts, electronics, gift card deals, and a lot more.

If you are having a hard time coming up with a gift or finding a good deal, let the Bargain Babe solve your holiday dilemma.

When you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase by shopping through Ebates. Don’t leave money on the table!

Check out Best Buy's current holiday sale!

There are 37 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

HOT! Last minute flight deals - Southwest has a bunch of last minute holiday travel deals when you book by Dec. 19 and travel Dec 14-21, 2011. The best flights and prices will go quickly.

Tomorrow! Free ice cream cupcake - Grab a free ice cream cupcake at Marble Slab Creamery and MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream & Treatery on Dec. 15, 2011 from 4-7 p.m. to celebrate National Cupcake Day.

Free Christmas music download - Get a free Christmas song from Tim McGraw to the tune of “Christmas All Over the World.” Unclear how long this will last.

Free movie rental - Get $1 off any rental (that means a free movie for most rentals!) with Blockbuster Express coupon code DOLLARDAYS. Expires Dec. 15, 2011.

Free MAC shipping + gift wrap - Get free standard shipping with no minimum order through Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Excludes gift cards and Pro members. Select holiday gift wrap at check out to get a free holiday gift box or bag.

Free Alaska planner - Get a free Alaska Vacation Planner. Expect promotional emails to follow.

HOT! Williams Sonoma coupon - Save 25% off all potware with this rare Williams Sonoma coupon code COOKWARE25. Expires Dec. 19, 2011. Some exclusions. FREE shipping included! Excludes online orders of Le Creuset. Thanks, Su May!

Gap $25 jeans - Today only, a bunch of Gap jeans are on sale for just $25. Online only. Select denim for Men and Women. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Bloomingdale’s coupon - Use Bloomingdale’s coupon code SNOWFLAKE to save 10% off purchases of $50-$99.99, 15% off purchases of $100-$149.99, and 20% off purchases of $150 or more. Offer valid online only Dec. 14-15, 2011.

Ends today! Avenue coupon - Save 40% off your entire order AND get free shipping on $75 or more with Avenue promo code AV111346. Expires Dec. 14, 2011.

Cardstore coupon - Get 50% off your entire order of holiday cards with Cardstore.com coupon code CSSAVE510. Expires Dec. 15.

Piperlime coupon - Save 20% off men’s boots with Piperlime coupon code BOOTS at checkout. Ends Dec. 15, 2011. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Shoemall coupon - Save 20% off $25 or more sitewide plus get free shipping with ShoeMall.com coupon code HOLIDAY. Valid today through Dec. 24, 2011.

PetCo sale - Many items are 20-50% off during Petco’s holiday sale. Shipping is free when you hit $49, or a flat $6, though some exclusions apply.

Best Buy - The late-week holiday sale at Best Buy runs Dec. 14-16. Shop through Ebates to get an extra 1-3.6% back.

Rockport shoes - Get 20% off your next pair of Rockport shoes with this click through coupon.

Pottery Barn Kids toy sale - Select toys are up to 40% off at the Pottery Barn Kids Holiday sale. Plus, shipping is free on some 800 items.

HOT! Land’s End sale - Everything is 30% off plus shipping is free with NO MINIMUM. Nice! Use Land’s End promo code SANTA and PIN 1212. Expires Dec. 19, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Get an extra 6% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Reebok deal - Get 30% off your entire order with Reebok promo code RBKTHANKS. The big coupon is part of a customer appreciate sale that ends Dec. 18, 2011.

H&M sale - Mega holiday sale, with lingerie from $1, tops from $5, cozy knits from $7, kids jackets from $10 and adults’ jackets from $15.

Track holiday spending - Track your holiday spending with free budgeting software from Mint.com.

The Walking Company coupon - Spend $100 and get a free upgrade to second day shipping with The Walking Company coupon code FREE2DAY. Expires Jan. 13, 2012.

J.Jill coupon - Save 25% off your entire purchase online with this click through J.Jill coupon.

Picaboo coupon - Get 20% off your order of holiday cards of $50 or more with coupon code SPREADJOY. Expires Dec. 15, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Bev Mo discount - Buy 6 or more bottles of wine in store or online and get an extra 10% off, no coupon code needed. Your discount will show up automatically in your cart. More than 300 bottles are eligible for the extra discount. Ends Jan. 2, 2012.

MyPublisher - Save 25% off $50 or more, or bigger discounts if you spend even more with MyPublisher coupon code FINALSALE. Expires Dec. 19.

Ends today! Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code STOCKING. Expires Dec. 14, 2011. Gift cards are $4 with this promo code. Not valid with egift cards and dinner of the month. Here’s how Restaurant.com works. Get an extra 20-30% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

GoDaddy.com coupon - Save 15% off $30 or more with Go Daddy promo code gdz1241d. Expires Dec. 25, 2011.

Whole Living mag deal - DiscountMags.com has a $4 daily deal for a yearlong A-list mag subscription! Here is this week’s lineup of mag deals: Dec. 14 Whole Living magazine with promo code 5918; Dec. 15 Car and Driver with promo code 7567. Plus, get 10% off most mags with DiscountMags promo code HOLIDAY10. No expiration date given.

Family Fun mag deal - Get an extra 20% off with Family Fun magazine code WKLYSPEC through Dec. 18, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Taste of home deal - Get an extra 40% off with Taste of home magazine code TASTEOFHOME through Dec. 18, 2011. You pay $5.40 for the year!

Rider mag deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.39 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Dec. 14 Rider ($5.29); Dec. 15 Yoga Journal; Dec. 16 Whole Living; Dec. 17 Oxygen ($5.29); Dec. 18 Car & Driver. Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXCJ1218. Expires Dec. 18, 2011.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

HOT! Free movie ticket - Buy three movie tickets at AMC theaters and get the fourth free Dec. 9-15, 2011. This deal is valid on ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, THE MUPPETS, HAPPY FEET TWO, and PUSS IN BOOTS. Print the free movie coupon. Present the coupon at the box office to get your free ticket (not valid online or with free movie passes). All four moviegoers must see the same movie at the same time.

Free photo collage - Now until Dec. 11, go to any Kodak picture kiosk and print out an 8 x 10 inch photo collage for free from photos you have uploaded on Facebook. Cool beans! “Like” Kodak on Facebook to get a coupon for CVS, Bartell Drugs, or Drugmart.

Free acne treatment - “Like” AcneFree on Facebook to get a freebie trial size of a sulphur mask.

Free arthritis guide - Download a free arthritis guide, courtesy of Arthritis Knee.

Free movie rental - Get $1 off a movie rental (free for a one-night rental!) at Blockbuster Express with coupon code DOLLAROFF. Valid Dec. 7, 2011 only.

Freebie Tena pads – The offer for a free sample of Tena pads is back at Walmart. While supplies last.

Free cooking app - The Bertolli cooking app is free and has 100 recipes plus hours of instructional videos.

Free beauty samples – Sign up for the Dr. Perricone email list and get free beauty samples.

Freebie hair treatment – It’s back! Get a freebie root awakening hair treatment from John Freida via Facebook. While supplies last.

Free photo flip book - Get a free photo flip book through Vistaprint when you pay $5.91 in shipping.

Free Wall Street Journal w/subscription - Get a 4 weeks free of the online edition of the Wall Street Journal when you subscribe for $4/week. Unclear how long you have to subscribe for to get the freebie.

Entertainment Book deal - Get the 2012 Entertainment Book on sale for $20 with free shipping, plus additional books for $15! during the current holiday sale. Ends Dec. 18, 2011. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

TODAY! Old Navy coupon - Save 20% off your entire online purchase with Old Navy coupon code ONHOLIDAY. Valid Dec. 7, 2011 only! Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Gap coupon - Get a mystery Gap coupon code for up to 40% off online through Dec. 9. Click through to get the offer details. Gap – Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Banana Republic coupon - Now through Dec. 8, get 30% off your entire online purchase with Banana Republic coupon code BRSAVE30. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Melissa & Doug coupons - Get 15% off thousands of toys with Melissa & Doug coupon code take15. Expires Dec. 31, 2011. Or get free shipping with coupon code shipfree. You cannot stack the coupon codes, unfortunately. Expires Dec. 31, 2011. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Dell coupon - Get an extra 15% off monitors with Dell coupon code ZXP20F740G$W11. It is valid on the Small Business portion of Dell. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Elizabeth Arden coupon - Get 20% off your entire order with Elizabeth Arden coupon code GIFT20. Expires Dec. 15, 2011. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Starbucks deals - Dec. 7 50% off Cranberry Bliss Bars 6-pack; Dec. 8: Buy one, get one on any VIA 12-pack; Dec. 9: Buy 1 pound of Christmas Blend whole bean coffee and get a 3-pack of  VIA for free; Dec. 10: Purchase a VIA Gift Pack Sampler or Tazo Tea Sampler for $12.95. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Snapfish coupons – Save 40% plus get free shipping on all cards with Snapfish promo code CARDSFS40. Expires Dec. 10, 2011. Get an extra 20% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

HOT! Michael’s Daily Deals - There are some sizzling deals at Michael’s today, including a wreath base for $2 (orig $5-7), 50% off Martha Stewart crafts, and more. Each day the deals change. No rainchecks.

Amazon deals - Check out the hot Amazon holiday deals, including movies, electronics, stuffed animals, and more.

Kohl’s coupon - Save an extra 20% off regular, sale, and clearance items with this Kohl’s coupon. Online use coupon code CHEER20. Expires Dec. 11, 2011. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Land’s End coupon - Save $40 off $100 or more with Land’s End promo code COOKIES and PIN 5113. Ends Dec. 7 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Land’s End – Get an extra 6% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Deal on holiday cards - For $15, Get $87 worth of holiday cards from Vistaprint through this Groupon offer. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

The Knot coupon code - Get 20% off sitewide with The Knot coupon code TAKE20 through Dec. 8, 2011. On Dec. 8, get 25% off $125 or more with coupon code 25BONUS. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Burt’s Bees sale - There are a bunch of cool items on sale at Burt’s Bees, including some items more than 50% off! Looks like a good opportunity for stocking stuffers. While supplies last. Shipping is free with $40 or more.

New Balance coupon - Get 10% off women’s walking with New Balance coupon code WALKDEC. Expires Dec. 31, 2011. Men’s cross trainers are 10% off through Dec. 31, with coupon code XTRAINERMEN. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

REI Outlet coupon - Get an extra 20% off one item with this click through REI Outlet coupon. Ends Dec. 8, 2011. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

HOT! Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code GIFT. Expires Dec. 7, 2011. Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month. Here’s how Restaurant.com works. Get an extra 30% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Family Fun mag deal - Get an extra 20% off with Family Fun magazine code WKLYSPEC through Dec. 11, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Shape mag deal - Get an extra 20% off with Shape magazine code WKLYSPEC through Dec. 11, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Elle Decor mag deals -  has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.39 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Dec. 7 Elle Decor ($5.29); Dec. 8 Rolling Stone; Dec. 9 Digital Photo; Dec. 10 Old House Journal; Dec. 11 Men’s Fitness. Get an extra 18% off most subscriptions with coupon code SANTACLAUS. Expires Dec. 5, 2011.

eBags coupon - Get an extra 25% off with this click through eBages promo code. Ends Dec. 20, 2011. Save an extra % in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

This code expires today!

Eating out is one of my favorite things to do. But aside from fast food joints, restaurant coupons are rare. I use Restaurant.com to drop my tab by 25-40%, an incredible savings. TODAY ONLY, you can get a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant of your choosing for $2, plus earn 30% cash back through Ebates – which means you pay just $1.40!!! Coupon code below.

We’ve also suggested electronics gifts, gifts at Sears, toys for kids, mens’ shavers, gifts for teens, unique and quirky gifts, and All You mag gifts. Tomorrow’s edition covers gifts for men and women. We’ll finish the gift guide on Dec. 9 with the best overall gifts.

If you’re new to this site, here’s how Restaurant.com works. You have three gift options on Restaurant.com:

• Buy a gift certificate for a particular restaurant.
• Buy a physical gift card, which the recipient redeems online for a voucher at a specific restaurant they want to eat at. (This is a good option if you don’t know their favorite eateries.)
• Buy an eGift card, which is the same as  physical gift card except that it is emailed to the recipient.
• Spice up a Restaurant.com gift with a bottle of wine and/or a babysitting voucher (or cash to cover the sitter).

Restaurant.com coupon codes:

• Use coupon code GIFT to get a $25 gift certificate for $2, plus shop through Ebates to bring the cost down to $1.40 each. The code expires today, Dec. 7, 2011.
• The same coupon code, GIFT, gets you a physical gift card or eGift card for $3. Again, shop through Ebates for an extra 30% off. Expires Dec. 7, 2011.
• Buy five physical gift cards and get one FREE! Offer ends Dec. 7, 2011.

Note, a few restaurants are priced slightly higher, adding a dollar or two to your cost. Pretty reasonable for certain restaurants. You can also buy gifts in $50 or $100 denomination.

Electronics gifts – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 1
Value gifts at Sears – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 2
Toys for kids – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 3
Mens’ shavers – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 4
Gifts for teens – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 5
Unique and quirky gifts – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 6
All You mag giveaway – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 7

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. Thank you for helping make blogging my full time job! This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.

Top 10 most shoplifted items below. Credit: kate*/Flickr

This list of the Top 10 most shoplifted items of the season was compiled by Yahoo! and based on info from AdWeek. Yahoo says that “one in every 11 people walks out the door with at least one item they didn’t pay for.” That is truly shocking. More stats:

• Shoplifting is up 6% this year
• Retailers will lose about $119 billion of merchandise to shoplifters in 2011
• 75% of shoplifters are adults, most of whom have jobs

The top 10 items most stolen items are not what you would think! My guesses included iPods, kids toys, and clothes. Yahoo says (my comments in italics):

1. Filet mignon – So many people are tucking choice cuts of meats under their jackets that supermarkets are now considered the stores with the most theft. No way.

2. Jameson – Those with an unquenchable thirst for booze just help themselves to a free bottle of expensive liquor. Isn’t that why liquor bottles have that bulky black plastic cap?

3. Electric tools – Apparently the the most common items men nab are electric toothbrushes and power tools. At least they’re fighting cavities.

4. iPhone 4 – Electronics like smartphones and video games are high risk items, and one research group claims 100,000 laptops are stolen annually from big box stores. How exactly does one walk out of the store with a stolen laptop?

5. Gillette Mach 4 – Anyone who uses non-disposable razors knows they’re pretty expensive, so in tough financial times people don’t want to pay for them anymore. No wonder they keep these behind the counter!

6. Axe- The men’s deodorant and body wash we love to hate are often stolen in mass quantities and resold at flea markets and corner stores. Dial is popular amongst thieves too.

7. Polo Ralph Lauren – Clothing theft is up 31% since 2009. It’s hard to look good in a bad economy, so some score fresh threads the illegal way.

8. Let’s Rock Elmo – The Sesame Street toy topped the Toys ’R Us “Hot Toys” list this year, so parents are stealing this must-have toy for their kids if they can’t afford it. That’s sad. But remind me of a story I heard on NPR yesterday about mall santas lowering kids’ expectations.

9. Chanel No. 5 – Who wouldn’t love a bottle of this popular woman’s fragrance? Expensive perfumes make up nearly four percent of loss in stores that carry them.

 10. Nikes – As Ad Week points out, some shoppers wear flip-flops into a store, try on a pair of sneakers, and walk out wearing them. Sneaker heads will do whatever it takes to score the kicks on their wish list.

What's a great white elephant gift? Credit: col&tasha/Flickr

Maureen has a pressing question that I’m sure many of you share!

Do you have any ideas for a white elephant $10 gift limit?

It’s for a work party. I was perusing online for creative/humorous and would love to hear ideas.  So far I have liked buy a loaf of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly (the food theme). Or buy a bunch of batteries and add a note “gift not included” (humorous).

I hope you get to blog on it soon, our party is next week!

Maureen’s ideas are snazzy. I might even use the battery one myself! Here are a few more ideas that I found online of what to give and where to find a great white elephant gift.

• Rummage through your attic for a giftable piece of treasure you never use, but can’t bear to part with. Rest easy knowing its new owner will keep it safe in their own attic!
• A framed close up 8 x 10-inch picture of yourself or another famous person with an “autograph.” A close up makes it particularly funny
• A box of golf balls containing grass, tees, chipped golf balls, and plastic balls
• A giant sausage
• A can of spam wrapped super fancy
• A fancy box of chocolates that, upon opening, have a few missing bites. Optional: include a picture of the gift giver eating one
• A VERY large pair of granny panties or men’s tighty whiteys
• A box full of hotel shampoos, lotions, and other freebies
• joke hand sanitzer with labels like “Cleaner than shit,” and “Germ-a-phobe”
• Food-themed basket with the oddest stuff you can find
• $10 worth of toilet paper
• A lotto ticket
• A beat up bowling pin (you can often acquire them from a bowling alley)
• Spooky or very odd holiday decoration

What do you think Maureen should give?

Bzzzt. Kills flies with this fun $5 gift!

Unique and  quirky is the theme of the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 6. We’ve also suggested electronics gifts, gifts at Sears, kids’ toys, mens’ shavers, and gifts for teens. Coming up are gifts for men and women. We’ll finish the gift guide on Dec. 9 with a roundup of the best overall gifts.

Don’t forget to enter to win a $100 Sears gift card as part of the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide! ENDS TODAY, DEC. 5!

We have a gnat

problem in the summer as soon as temps hit 68 degrees. Our indoor compost container seems to hatch gnats and attract flies within an hour. Then our friends told us about their electric fly swatter, above, which you can get on Amazon for as little as $5! Or, go for a bigger electric fly swatter that also has more voltage, for just $10. Not a bad way to have fun getting rid of pests!

Turn a regular photo into Pop Art! Credit: AllPopArt.com

The Rabbit wine opener has been surpassed by the even easier to use electric wine openerelectric wine opener. A handful of companies make these devices, which start as low as $15 and run up to $50! There are plenty to choose from for $20 and under, however. This would make a great hostess gift, or boss gift!

Turn a photo into a work of Pop Art with the website AllPopArt.com. Upload your photo, pick a design (like the Warhol-inspired work above), and select which options you want, if any. A 13 x 13 inch work starts at $154, so it ain’t cheap. But it’s a relative steal compared to original artwork. You can customize photos of your kids, pets, a couple shot, and more. Check out the Pop Art options for less than $150. Upgrades include going from rolled paper to canvas, adding a frame, and increasing the size. You can also combine more than one photo.

This quirky kitchen gift is only $10.

A fun spin on scented gifts is Poo-Pourri freshening scents, which come in various sizes for $8-$20. Give a friend or family member a laugh with these lively spritzers!

If you have the budget, buying a CSA membership will give the recipient months of fresh, organic produce, meat, eggs, fruit, and more. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it basically means you buy food from a local farm, in turn supporting local jobs, reducing your carbon footprint, and eating wonderfully! I’ve written about the CSA my husband and I belong to and I highly recommend it! Find a CSA near you or the recipient you have in mind.

The Food Pod, above, is a curious kitchen tool made of silicone. Use it to boil, blanch or steam food with a built-in water strainer. (How many times have I gotten a steam burn draining off hot water?) It is $10.51 on Amazon ($15 elsewhere) and comes in yellow. The Food Pod measures 9 x 9 x 9 inches.

Electronics gifts – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 1
Value gifts at Sears – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 2
Toys for kids – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 3
Mens’ shavers – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 4
Gifts for teens – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 5

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. Thank you for helping make blogging my full time job! This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.

This $100 Sears gift card could be yours!

This is your last chance to enter to win the $100 Sears gift card! SO far only 235 people have entered so your chances OF WINNING ARE REALLY GOOD! Sears donated this awesome prize as part of the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide showcasing hot gifts in the Sears Holiday Catalogue. Here are all the holiday and Christmas gifts I’d love to buy at Sears. Make sure to use the following coupons when you shop at Sears!

Sears coupons:

• RealJoy gets you free shipping on $99 or more through Dec. 19. If you’re in a rush, chose in store pickup to get your item the same day!
• SEARS2011 saves you $5 off $50 (unclear when it expires)
• STOYS20 gets you $20 off $200 in toys through Dec. 31, 2011
• ELEC05 saves you an extra 5% off consumer electronics through Dec. 31

To enter to win the $100 Sears gift card, visit the Sears Wish Book and tell us what you wish for from the Wish Book. Comment by Dec. 5 to be eligible to win!

This is dedicated content. Want to reach tens of thousands of savvy spenders? Read our blog marketing page.

This laptop is on super sale at Office Max today only! Credit: Office Max

There are 31 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

THIS WEEKEND! Free museums with B of A card - On the first full weekend of every month, get into more than 150 museums nationwide with your Bank of America/Merrill Lynch debit or credit card as part of its museums on us program. The freebie includes general admission and excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows and fundraising events. Only the cardholder gets in free.

$25 mag credit - Join the online magazine newstand Zinio and get a $25 credit that you can use to buy any of their 5,000 titles. It’s all in digital format, so you can read your mags on your Kindle Fire, iPad, Android, and many more. Ends March 2012.

Free holiday music - Amazon has plenty of free holiday music to download. Check back because the selection changes frequently.

Freebie glasses cloth and cleaner – You can still get a coupon for a freebie cloth and cleaner for your glasses through Walmart.

OUT mag free - Get 10 free magazine issues of OUT in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! I’ve got many free subscriptions through this site.

Free coffee w/purchase - Buy one drink and get a second free with this Peet’s coupon. It is valid Dec. 1-4 from 2-5 p.m. each day. Not valid at BART, airport, and supermarket locations. Excludes bottles beverages.

Movie free w/$2 - Rent two movies at any Blockbuster Kiosk and get a third rental free (or $1 towards a higher-priced rental) with coupon code HOLIDAYFUN. Expires Dec. 4, 2011.

Free tax advice TurboTax - TurboTax customers can get free tax advice daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PST.

Target coupons - Spend $75 on children’s and infant clothes, get 20% off with this click through online Target coupon. Disney princess toys are buy one get one 50% off with this Target coupon. Same deal on Thomas and Friends. Buy select Kinect bundles and get a $50 Target gift card free. Shop through Ebates for an extra 3% off.

Applebee’s gift card deal - Get a free bonus $10 gift card when you spend $50 or more on Applebee’s gift cards.

Gap coupon - Get 30% off new arrivals with Gap promo code GAPCHEER. Online only. Expires Dec. 4 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Get an extra 2% back when you shop through Ebates.

TODAY! Laptop deal - Today only Office Max is selling the HP Laptop (2000-353NR) for $339.99, (orig. $479.99). The deal expires Dec. 2, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST. The laptop has a 15.6-inch HD LED-backlit display, a 500GB hard drive with a built-in Wi-Fi, digital media reader, integrated webcam, and microphone and more. Get it online at Office Max holiday deals or in stores. Get an extra 3% back when you shop through Ebates.

NYT deal - Get 50% off the New York Times home delivery with this newspaper deal for 12 weeks. When you subscribe to the paper, even for just one day a week, you get complete access to nytimes.com. Check your zip code to see if this deal is available.

Old Navy coupon - Get $10 off $50 online and in stores with this Old Navy coupon that is accessible through its Facebook page. Get an extra 3% back when you shop through Ebates.

$.99 holiday deals - The 99 Cents Only store has many holiday items for less than $1, including holiday cards, ornaments, wreaths, stockings, garlands, gift wrap, and gift bags. Expect many similar items at other dollar stores, like Family Dollar.

Dell coupons - Dell has rotating computer and laptop deals as part of its 12 Days of Dell sale. Everyday there are new PC deals, each one lasts for 48 hours only. Free shipping, too! Ends Dec. 13, 2011. Get an extra 2% off when you shop through Ebates.

Kmart sale - This Sunday, Dec. 4 Kmart is having an online customer appreciation holiday sale with almost everything an extra 5-10% off. Shipping is free with $49 or more. Sale happening online only. Get an extra 6% back when you shop through Ebates.

Ghirardelli coupon - Everything ships for just $5 flat when you buy chocolate with this click through Ghirardelli coupon. No expiration date given. Get an extra 5% back when you shop through Ebates.

Kodak coupons - Spend $100 and get $25 off your Kodak Gallery photo order. That is a nice 25% discount on holiday cards! Get an extra 7.5% back when you shop through Ebates.

Cheap glasses - Get a pair of prescription glasses for cheap from CoastalContacts.com with the following coupons, which sadly cannot be combined. Use coupon code DOORCRASHER to get any of the frames within the Door Crasher Glasses category for $10. Or use coupon code 40PCYBER to get 40% off and free shipping on any eyeglasses order. Lastly, use coupon code 10CONTACTS to get $10 off plus free shipping any contact lens order over $150. Expires Dec. 4, 2012. Get an extra 5% back when you shop through Ebates.

REI free shipping - Now through Dec. 31, shipping is free at REI with no minimum. Hot stuff! Get an extra 6% back when you shop through Ebates.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $3 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code SNOW. Expires Dec. 4, 2011. Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month. Here’s how Restaurant.com works. Save an extra 25% off when you shop through Ebates.

Kohl’s coupon - Print this Kohl’s coupon pass and save 20% off through Dec. 5, 2011. Online use coupon code HOLLY20. Shipping is free with $50 or more. Get an extra 4% back when you shop through Ebates.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Land’s End coupon - Get free shipping with no minimum with Land’s End coupon code STAR and PIN 3013. Expires Dec. 2 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Get an extra 6% cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Container store coupon - Spend $100 and get free shipping through Dec. 4, 2011. No code needed.

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Mega Swagbucks – It’s Friday and that means it’s Mega Swagbucks day, when you earn even more swagbucks for your normal Internet searching. Get 30 Swagbucks just for joining. This site feeds my Starbucks habit!

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.