Get a free Dr. Pepper as part of the soda company's promise to provide free drinks if Guns N' Roses' album "Chinese Democracy" was released in 2008, according to a story on Fox News.

The album goes on sale Sunday. Get your free 20-ounce Dr. Pepper by downloading a coupon from the Dr. Pepper Web site. The coupon will only be on the site for 24 hours beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m. The coupons expire February 28, 2009.

Thanks, Tina!

Here are a few coupons I've received lately: They each have their own rules and exceptions so please read the fine print before you shop.

Get 20% off at the Container Store with this coupon. Online use code CLUTTERCREW. Expires Sunday, November 30, 2008.

Get 80% off at Restaurant.com with code SURPRISE now until Monday, November 24, 2008. That makes a $25 gift certificate $2. Read redemption rules carefully.

For every $50 worth of gift cards you buy at Pasta Pomodoro, you can get a $10 gift card free. The small chain has restaurants in Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Burbank, West Hollywood, Manhattan Beach and Huntington Beach.

Get 25% off fitness apparel at the running store Future Track in Agoura Hills with a coupon just for Bargain Hunter readers. Expires December 31, 2008.

Thanks, Myke!

PayPal, an online payment service, plans to offer lines of credit to qualified shoppers who want to buy holiday gifts, according to a recent post on a Wall Street Journal blog. I'm not sure if this a good thing (helping people buy gifts for loved ones) or a bad thing (encouraging cash-strapped Americans go deeper into debt).

eBay, which owns PayPal, is trying to expand it's "online-payments business," the post says, which makes sense because eBay recently purchased Bill Me Later, Inc., which lets shoppers pay later for items they purchase now.

Thousands of active eBay members will get offers to use the online service starting today. "The credit can be used at online retailers such as Toys "R" Us Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc.'s Apple Store, which use Bill Me Later," the post says. "Shoppers won't get charged interest or have to make payments until April 1, 2009, after which they can opt to pay through a payment plan with interest."

I'd be curious as to what kind of interest rates are being offered. Single digit? Double digit? Nothing comes for free.

(A cheap home haircut that may lead to an expensive salon fix!)

In the name of saving, some consumers are actually spending more. That's the subject of a recent NY Times story on bargain hunting gone bad.

The story says some newly-minted cheapskates are making rookie mistakes, like buying all their groceries in one place. (If only they knew about My Nitty Gritty Grocery List! Tsk tsk. No one store has the best prices on everything, which is why you need to shop around.)

"Pinched by shriveled retirement and college accounts, battered by ballooning mortgage costs, rent and co-op maintenance increases, and hedging against the possibility that a job might vanish, some are practicing economies that may not deserve the name," the story says.

The story continues: "Americans may be forgoing Starbucks and stocking up on Spam, but they are also making severe...

If you are planning on going shopping on Black Friday, the day after we gorge on turkey, or if you want help buying holiday gifts, make sure to pick up a copy of the Daily News next Friday.

Inside the November 28 paper will be a spectacular Bargain Hunter frugal and fun gift guide! I've been working my tail off on it, and I really hope it helps readers find great gifts without depleting their bank account.

The guide has tips for buying gift cards (watch out for retailer bankruptcies), ways to spot high-value gifts (as opposed to just plain cheap gifts), and tons of gift ideas.

There's a lot more, but I don't want to give it all away!!! For all the info make sure to grab the November 28 LA Daily News to get the Bargain Hunter gift guide. You won't regret it!

I desperately want to own my own home, but the only path to that goal may be buying a foreclosure. I realized this recently while taking a walk with Hubby. We came upon a home that had been overtaken by vegetation and so run down it must have been abandoned.

To our great delight, it was for sale. Maybe this was our chance! A fixer upper in a good neighborhood that nobody else wants. We'd pour our savings into the down payment, then slowly re-do the home room by room over the years as we could afford it. House proud and cash poor.

Then Hubby looked at the price. A cool $2 mil. Mother-fletcher! The listing made scant mention...

I've been blogging about various ways to save money on Thanksgiving dinner this week. Below are all the posts in one place (except a turkey recipe, which you can see by scrolling down to the next post.)

Thanksgiving supplies you can find at the 99 Cents Only Store, including dishes, produce, and decorations.

Free or cheap ideas for Thanksgiving table settings and name cards, like collecting leaves at the park or dressing up candles that you already have.

Where can you find the best-priced turkey? I compared a half dozen stores and the range is very wide. Find who has the best prices.

It's not (only) about the bird. Click here for recipes for side dishes that cost no more than $1 per person.

Here is a story about the cost of Thanksgiving dinner going up 5.5% since last year. Use these tips and don't be a statistic!

If you aren't cooking at home but are traveling, check out this link for LAX parking coupons.

Hubby has made many a delicious bird using this recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I made many other recipes from Cooks Illustrated with success, so in general I consider them trustworthy.

Roasted Brined Turkey

- serves 10 to 12 -
Ingredients

Table salt
1 turkey (12-14 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Procedure

1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for -4 to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Submerge turkey completely and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.

2. Before removing turkey from brine...

(my actual lunch!) In two days I received the same Lincoln Lunch tip from two readers so I figured eating at Ameci Pizza and Pasta in North Hollywood was my destiny. As luck would have it, I had business nearby so I dropped in for an early lunch after toy shopping recently.

The main menu did not have one Lincoln Lunch, what I call a $5 meal because ol' Prez Lincoln is on the fiver, but off to the side was a neon menu with lower-priced specials. A slice of cheese pizza, salad and a soda was $5. Two slices of cheese and a soda was $4.50, and two slices of pepperoni pizza and a soda was $5. Three other options were $6.

I chose the pizza, salad and soda, paid at the counter and tried not to notice when the cashier was surprised that I wanted to eat there. Ameci's is a bare eatery, the kind that...

Get 40% off at regular-priced items at Michael's, a home decorating and craft supply store. Print the coupon here. It expires Saturday, November 22, 2008.

One coupon per customer per day. This discount may be good for those hunting for holiday decorations or gifts.

Caveats: not good on sale items or when combined with other discounts. Not valid on shopping cards, gift cards, classes, in-store activities or The Knack Kits. Excludes Christmas trees greater than 4 feet tall, special orders, digital picture frames, books, magazine and all Cricut products.

Find a Michaels near you.

If you are planning on buying a ton of toys on Black Friday, you may want to leave room in your budget for a toy liquidation sale being run by LA Kids Consignment Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7, 2008.

LA Kids Consignment, which is growing fast, apparently attracted the attention of wholesalers eager to get extra loot off their hands. But unlike their consignment sales, where everything is used, the toys and clothing at the December sale are all new.

Here are a few items to be sold. Dolls that retail for $20 will be $8. Framed artwork that goes for $200 to 500 will be $5 to 60 at the sale. And insulated bags for baby food/milk that go for $25 will be $5, according to Kristin Nelson, who is running the sale.

Also look for arts & crafts, handheld games, preschool toys, infant/toddler gear, Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles and play sets, diaper bags, and girls clothing by Gynboree, Juicy Couture, Flowers by zoe, Lipstik clothing, Madonna's English Roses and Cach Cach.

To get into the private pre-sale Friday, December 5, you must volunteer. Sign up here. Spots are limited.

Regular sale hours are Saturday and Sunday 9 to 5. The sale is at City-Art, 7733 Hayvenhurst Ave., in Van Nuys. Cash only.

It's impossible to eliminate spending on entertainment when times are tough. But you can find lots of free and cheap parties and events on Going.com, which has listings for 30 cities across the country.

Find your city, (here is the one for Los Angeles) and look for a link that says "recession busters."

In LA, the frugal parties include a magazine cover release party, a talk on the West and Islam, and a music performance at a lounge. Some of the events are free when you RSVP, others have a reduced cost.

You can search for events by type, cost, time of day, and date. Non-members can browse a good deal of the site before having to register. RSVP'ing requires you to share your name, email, age and sex. Joining is free.

Thanks, Sean!

There are a lot of Thanksgiving supplies and food at the 99 Cents Only store, including turkey-sized tinfoil disposable roasting pans, 3 lb bags of potatoes, 20 oz cans of cut yams, white dishes with a fancy raised pattern, turkey gravy, wooden utensils (set of 3), decorations, and turkey bags for basting (2 for $.99).

The store I went to in North Hollywood also had tomatoes, butter, milk, onions, garlic, eggs and other groceries you may need for your big dinner.

If you have never shopped at the 99 Cents Only store, don't be afraid. But read my take on the store first to prepare yourself. And remember to carefully inspect produce for freshness, compare prices just like you would at any other store, and always check expiration dates. Just because it is 99-cents does not mean it is a fab deal!

Find a 99 Cents Only store near you. The company has stores in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Thanks, Rachelle!

Buy $25 worth of used kid's clothes at Wear It Once Wear It Twice in Burbank and get $5 off your purchase, a nice 20% discount. The sale is in celebration of their first anniversary and lasts until Saturday, November 22, 2008.

Print the flyer here. The store sells clothing in sizes newborn to 12 and has toys, books, videos and tapes, furniture and various baby gear.

I have not been to this store, but reader Rachelle says the store has larger sizes than Children's Orchard and has "TONS of cute holiday outfits."

Visit them at 1725 W. Verdugo Ave. in Burbank. (818) 558-4006. Thanks, Rachelle!

Get $2 off a sandwich, salad or wrap at Jamba Juice now until December 15, 2008. I didn't even know Jamba Juice sold grub, other than fluff food like pretzels and chips! Perhaps this is a way to introduce a new food line.

Print the coupon here. This particular coupon is only good for their stores in Encino, at 16443 Ventura Blvd., and Studio City, at 10955 Ventura Blvd. Sign up for their email list and you may get a coupon in your inbox for a store near you.

Before the discount, sandwiches are $5.95, wraps are $4.95 and salads are $4.95 to $6.25. The food is made by Organic To Go.

Caveats: one coupon per customer per visit. Not valid in combination with other offers or discounts. Offer not valid for Jamba Juice employees.

Get a free $20 gift card at Maggiano's when you buy a $100 gift card. It's unclear how long this promotion lasts, but I'm guessing through the holidays.

If you haven't eaten at Maggiano's, the food is very good and the drinks are strong. Portions are big enough that one couple splitting an appetizer and entree have to get a doggie bag.

Right now the semi-upscale family style Italian restaurant is offering a 3-course meal with a glass of Santa Cristina wine for $30 when you order a Little Italy Favorites entree, including lobster fettuccine, beef braciole, chicken francese or baked ziti. To get the deal you have to pay with any American Express Card.

I wonder if later you can split up the $100 card onto multiple cards for smaller gifts. Find a Maggiano's near you. They have restaurants in 21 states.

UPDATE: Members can get 20% off one regular-priced item in stores and online with this coupon. Expires December 1, 2008.

PREVIOUSLY: The REI Winter sale starts Friday, November 21 and runs through December 1, 2008. Look for discounts on skis, snowboards, boots, ski goggles, warm jackets and pants, shoes and accessories.

All REI-brand socks and SmartWool socks are 25% off. All Men's REI Heavyweight MTS Underwear is 30% off. Mountain Hardware Fleece hats are 30% off. Giro snow helmets, Scott goggles, and Smith Helmets are all 20% off. Many individual items are marked down 10 to 40% and there are discounts on kids' wear too!

The sale is online and members get $5 flat rate shipping for a limited time. Find an REI near you.

Hubby and I are hosting a few friends for Thanksgiving because we decided not to travel this year and I'd like to set the table in a special way, but not shell out any money, if possible.

Here are some ideas for frugal table decorations, mostly courtesy of Martha Stewart, for Thanksgiving or a fall dinner party:

+ Collect leaves of different colors at a park and sprinkle them on the table. For a similar effect, use paper cutouts of leaves.

+ Tie dried corns together with the husks sticking into the air for a dramatic effect.

+ If you are assigning seats, use a string or ribbon to tie a slip of paper with the person's name to a sweet gum tree spur, those prickly round balls you see on the ground this time of year. Place one on each plate. You may be able to collect the spurs from your backyard, or substitute another type of seedling, like acorns.

+ Line a plate of pears with orange and brown leaves you find at the park. Eat the pears later so they don't go to waste. Substitute the pears for any other seasonal fruit, vegetable or squash that is in season and on sale!

+ Make an artful presentation of your...

Target is going to cut toy prices during the holidays to compete with Wal-Mart, according to a story in yesterday's Daily News. The cuts are prompted by a 24 percent drop in third-quarter earnings.

"Target has fared worse than its chief rival, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., as consumers cut back on discretionary spending and shop mainly for necessities," the story says. "More than 40 percent of Target's revenue comes from nonessentials such as fashions and housewares."

The story continues "During the holidays, Target will remain "keenly focused" on offering low prices on national brands and its own products and will match Wal-Mart prices on identical items in local markets, said Kathryn Tesija, Target's executive vice president of merchandise."

I'm guessing Target will make these price drops crystal clear to shoppers, so stay tuned!

Prices are out for Thanksgiving turkeys! Every Tuesday the newspaper publishes grocery ads, and this week all reveal their prices for big birds. Here's a recap:

Albertsons - $.99/lb for a fresh 10-22lb Foster Farms Turkey with $10 minimum purchase and an Albertsons free frequent shopper card. Price effective Wednesday, November 19 through Thanksgiving. You also need the coupon in today's paper, though stores often have sales flyers at the entrance.

Vons - A Safeway brand or Manor House Turkey up to 16 lbs is $4.88 (making a bird that is exactly 16lbs $.30/lb) with a $25 minimum purchase and a Vons free frequent shopper card. While supplies last. Birds that are more than 16lbs are $6.88. To get the $.30/lb price on bigger birds, it needs to be at least 23 lbs.

Also at Vons, a frozen Butterball Turkey up to 16 lbs is $7.88 (or $.49/lb for a 16 lb bird) with a $25 minimum purchase and a Vons free frequent shopper card. While supplies last. Birds that are more...

Food prices are going up and we're all crunched for money, yada yada yada. To bring down the cost of Thanksgiving dinner, which has increased by 5.5 percent since last year, Los Angeles chef Bret Thompson of MILK restaurant came up with six side dishes that cost $1 or less per person.

The recipes include sweet potato gratin with sage, corn soup, green beans with caramelized onions and toasted almonds (yum!), creamed spinach, apple cranberry bread pudding (this one sounds so good I may try it), and pumpkin profiteroles.

Look at the recipes here. The link is a pdf so give it time to load.

Looking for a recipe to cook the perfect turkey? Stay tuned.

Are you debating buying a video game console like Playstation 3, Wii, or Xbox 360 but don't know much about any of them? Here's an explanation from BFAds.net, which posts Black Friday ads, about the major differences between the three consoles.

The first step is asking the recipient if they have a preference. No use buying something (especially when it comes with a big price tag) if the recipient isn't interested in it.

In addition to the chart via the above link, the post also says:

+ "In terms of technical capabilities, the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 are evenly matched. The Wii is well behind them."

+ "The Playstation 3 is easily the most expensive console and it's...

Brace yourselves. This may be the last tax-free online shopping holiday, according to a Forbes story. With record budget deficits and increased Internet spending, some say paying sales tax online is inevitable.

"The idea, which would levy sales tax on most goods bought online, has been tossed around for nearly a decade," the story says. "States are coming up with huge deficits and looking for places to make money," one legal expert said. "All of a sudden, Internet taxation appears a lot more viable."

I'm not a lawyer, but because states have the power to set their own sales tax, how would they agree to one flat tax for online shoppers? Would it matter which state you lived in and which state you were buying from?

Advocates of an Internet tax are working through the legislature "because the Supreme Court ruled in the 1990s that states can't require out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on online sales."

If a new sales tax horrifies shoppers, will retailers be pressured to "include" tax in the sale price by marking up the goods? Hmmm...

Hi folks,
We're having some technical difficulties so blogs posts are taking a long to appear. The tech guys are working on the problem. Thanks for your patience. ~Julia

Here are all the deals mentioned in today's column in the LA Daily News:

NUTCRACKER 20% OFF

$10 FOR COINS

MIXED DRINK

AIRPORT PARKING DEALS

DEAL EMAIL (e-mail me to sign up!)

MENU PLANNER

FINDING THRIFT

LINCOLN LUNCH: DEPOT DOGS