I'm still here!

Decided to post a little something after I forgot to renew my domain and the holding place page defaulted to nasty porn (why???).

I'm contemplating whether I should keep this blog alive since I've got shrinkingsisters.com and my gigs at Examiner.com.

How's about this? When I find a great deal or a money-saving tip, I'll post it here.

Here's one: If you're a fan of Fit Flops exercise sandals, right now you can get a pair in silver and red for only $25 at Shoestation.com. That's about half the price of usual. Not every size is available but there are a few and they run rather large.

You want coupon codes? I've got coupon codes

Thanks goes to Dealcatcher.com, a fantastic site for online bargain shopping. Sign up for their e-mails and save big bucks:

Aeropostale 30% off - use coupon FRIENDS08 (Exp 11/23)

Alternative Apparel 40% off - use coupon CEF183 (Exp 11/26)

Ann Taylor 30% off - use coupon FRIENDS08 (Exp 11/23)

Ann Taylor Loft 30% off - use coupon FRIENDS08 (Exp 11/23)

Art.com 30% off - use coupon FF2008 (Exp 11/21/08)

Eddie Bauer 20% off - use coupon FRNDSAVE (Exp 11/24)

Land's End: 20% off - use coupon SHARE with pin 00008692 (Exp Unknown)

New York & Co 30% off - use coupon 9815 (Exp 11/26)

Quicksilver 40% off - use coupon FFN8 or FFN81 (Exp 11/23)

Ralph Lauren 30% off - use coupon HOL2008 (Exp 12/8)

Roxy.com 40% off - use coupon FFN8 or FFN81 (Exp 11/23)

Rugby 30% off - use coupon HOL2008 (Expires: 12/8)

Sports Authority 25% off - use coupon TSAFEPL (Exp 11/23)

Shop Ecko 30% off - use coupon FRIENDS (Exp: 11/23)

The holidays will be tight, so here's where you can find Black Friday ads

There are many Black Friday ad spotters out there, but TGI Black Friday neatly organizes the holiday ad circulars and also lets you know when they'll be released.

So far, Toys R Us has released its Big Toy Book and among the bargains: a free $25 iTunes gift card with the purchase of an iPod Touch (so don't think that Toys R Us is just for kidstuff).

And for more money-saving holiday tips, check out my pal Stacey's blog Frugal Holiday Tips.

Free tacos, laid-off buddies! But is it worth the calories?

Jason Bartlett of the Tampa Bay Rays may have not been on the winning team in the first game of the World Series but he did win America a free taco by stealing a base in the Rays 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night.

What we want to know is will we strike out on our diets if we eat it?

Turns out the free crunchy beef taco will only set you back 170 calories. There are 10 grams of fat and 3.5 grams of that are saturated fat. But there's no trans fat and you do get 3 grams of fiber and a somewhat respectable 350 milligrams of sodium.

You can snap up your free taco between 2 and 6 p.m. your time Tuesday, Oct. 28 at any particpating Taco Bell.

Linens n Things is liquidating but the sales are no big deal yet

I got a jumpstart on the big Linens n Things going-out-of-business sale since my local store was closing sooner, but I just checked on their Web site and the sales are no big deal yet. It's best to wait a few weeks until the discounts get steeper, then forage around for stuff. And now comes word that Mervin's will be liquidating its stock as well.

Don't go to these liquidation sales with anything specific in mind and don't buy junk you don't need. Last week I picked up pillows for the guest room and 5 dark chocolate bars, which I do indeed need for nutritional benefits :)

The chocolate, not the pillows.

Coffee at Office Depot, chocolate at Linens n Things

Sometimes you can find the best deals on "fancy foods" at the weirdest places. I was in Office Depot earlier this week buying batteries when I spotted a 2-pound bag of Costa Rican coffee on sale for $6. SIX BUX! Seriously cheap.

Later this week, I was checking out the last gasps of my Linens n Things, which is closing, and I picked up some Lindt and Scharffen Berger dark chocolate for 30 percent off.

Cheap chocolate and coffee (and pillows): What could be better?

Gas for $3.13, baby!

That's what I paid for my fill-up yesterday.

OK, here's the catch, penny pinchers: It's only for people with a Rick Case Rewards card. If you bought a car at any Rick Case dealership around the country or even go there for a test drive you can get a Rewards card, which will entitle you to the gasoline discount.

Rachel's yummy yogurt dirt cheap at Publix

Rachel Rowlands started making yogurt more than 20 years ago in Great Britain and last year the yummy dairy products made their debut in the U.S.

The lowfat yogurt, with flavors such as Vanilla Chai, Plum Honey Lavender and Orange Strawberry Mango started popping up in natural food stores at premium prices. But lately Publix has been carrying the line and selling it at the crazy-cheap price of 50 cents a container. I'm hoping this isn't a fluke and I'll always be able to get it at this price.

If you're looking for a gourmet yogurt at a store-brand price, check 'em out.

Update: Checked yesterday and they're back up to a buck apiece -- dang it! But I dare say they're still worth a dollar splurge.

Free breakfast alert!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Ikea stores are giving away breakfast until 10:30 a.m. as part of its Seize the Days promotion. That's eggs, home fries, bacon and coffee.

They also have other great deals. Click HERE for more info.

My deep and abiding love for Clearly Canadian blueberry water

I went back to Big Lots today and bought the entire case of Clearly Canadian sugar-free blueberry sparkling water -- it's that good (and that cheap). Liter-size bottles are $1 and I haven't seen the stuff anywhere else. Plus they all have pictures on the back of b-baller Steve Nash.

But that's the thing with Big Lots -- if you find something you really like, buy it ALL because you never know whether you'll see it again.

Check out TJ Maxx for gourmet cookware deals

I had a TJ Maxx gift card burning a hole in my wallet so I headed over there last week and picked up a gorgeous Cuisinart 2-quart covered saute pan for $17. It's a great place to find open-stock items like this, since many times the pieces are from random sets that have been broken up.

The Laid-Off Gourmet visits Albertson's

If you live in South Florida, get yourself to your local Albertson's RIGHT NOW. I just came back with a load of groceries, including organic mac and cheese, Muir Glen tomatoes, Barbara's Bakery cereal, Silk chocolate soymilk and a Happy Birthday banner.

Grocery items are 50 percent off; general merchandise, like toiletries and office supplies are 70 percent off and greeting cards and candles are a crazy 95 percent off. (If you're looking for Spanish Bar Mitzvah cards, you're in luck.)

There is a lot of Lean Cuisines left, lots of ice cream, lots of cereal and salon-quality hair products. Tomorrow's the last day for all the Albertson's that are converting to Publix stores and I'm predicting a hoarding madhouse.

LoveFoodHateWaste: Love it!

Just discovered the impressive LoveFoodHateWaste.com, a British site funded by WRAP, the Waste & Resources Action Programme.

There is a ton of info on making sure food doesn't go to waste, which is good for your wallet and the environment.

There are food storage tips, leftover recipes, tips to save money on your grocery bill and lots more.

One really useful page is their "use by and best before" factsheet.

From the mailbag: Big Lots cautions

Got a comment on my Big Lots post. It's a good heads-up and I agree, you really need to check labels:

Big Lots is kinda fun and a good way to kill some time. But, after shopping there for several years all over the country, I've slowly discovered that most of the stuff you see has originally been pulled for some hidden reason. It's rarely overstocks and promos. And, since the economy has been worse, you see the dregs. Stay away from cosmetics, or anything not regulated very well thanks to current FDA. For example Gatorade aspartame is a little dangerous after expiration. I've even tried their electronics, and found huge QA issues. Their international foods is good. However, something as simple as Basmati rice turned out to be a bad batch. Sorry to be the debbiedowner; BL is still fun -- just a little more work/skill is required.

Eating organic on a budget

The latest issue of Prevention magazine has an article on how and why to eat organic when you're on a budget. Among the reasons:

• Some organics are proven to have higher nutrients.
• You consume fewer toxins.
• Eating a "clean diet" may help you lose weight.

The article also tells you which foods to pick and pass on when you're faced with organic vs. conventional.

Cookbook bargains

Need mealtime inspiration? How about a cookbook for a buck? BookCloseouts.com is having a 1 Dollar Summer Sale.

There are more than just cookbooks in the sale (two on raising cockatiels!), but among the cookbook gems is Cocina India, a book of Indian cuisine in Spanish.

More salsa on your vindaloo?

The Laid-Off Gourmet hits Big Lots

Who doesn't love a shopping trip to Big Lots? Huh? Who's with me on this?

(throws hand up for virtual high-five)

In addition to the thrill of buying Christmas Kleenex all year round, you can get some spectacular deals on groceries, and I don't just mean Bulgarian pasta or failed energy drink flavors (I'm talking to you, Rockstar pomegranate).

And you have to push past the movie-bomb product tie-ins (like the Speed Racer fruit snacks at right, next to the American Idol Pop-Tarts).

I came home the other day with a haul of groceries that included items from Orville Redenbacher, Kashi, Peter Pan and even some, dare I say, gourmet-worthy items, like Muir Glen organic pasta sauce for $2 a jar (I paid $3.29 for the same thing the week before at the regular grocery store).

I even picked up some NutriSystem entrees for a buck apiece. But don't think you can do the diet from Big Lots unless you want to eat beefy-roni-like stuff for every meal because that's the only variety they had.

Many times, the only reason something will end up at Big Lots is because the packaging has been redesigned. Or that something's labeled "NEW!" when it's been out a couple months. I bought three 6-packs of Propel for $3 each because they had "old" labels.

You need to check expiration dates: I have exactly one week to consume two boxes of Campbell's Select Gold organic butternut squash soup, which I got for a buck apiece.

There is quite an impressive selection of snack food and, my laid-off friends, some of us have a lot of time on our hands and should refrain from sitting in the den eating a giant bag of sour cream and onion mini rice cakes while watching Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List on the TiVo. (Which describes my Friday afternoon!)

So who's coming to my house to chug soup?

Whole Foods=Whole Paycheck? Not the whole story

The New York Times has a story about how Whole Foods is changing its pricey perception by offering more specials and more store brands.

As someone for whom Whole Foods is my closest grocery store, I can attest to the fact that they do have great specials. I shop there a few times a month and this weekend I bought their 365 brand nonfat yogurt at 59 cents for a 6-ounce cup. Their sales on White Wave Silk soymilk are often better than conventional stores. And of course there was the ginormous bottle of 79-cent spring water that I brought to the baseball game (go Marlins!).

I regularly check the Whole Foods Web site for their weekly specials. Feel free to check 'em out HERE.

The Laid-Off Gourmet goes to a baseball game

Ever check how much a bottle of water costs at a sporting event? Over at Dolphin Stadium, where the Florida Marlins play, a 32-ounce bottle of non-spring water will set you back $5. So I bring my own. There's no problem, as long as the bottle is sealed. (Can't run the risk of someone showing up with a quart of vodka; there are too many $9 cosmos to sell!).

I splurged and bought a 50-ounce bottle of Whole Foods-brand spring water. The price? 79 cents.

Anyone else have any cost-saving measures for sporting events? Send 'em in.

Coming Monday: We troll for bargains at Big Lots

Clipping coupons pays off

I am a devoted coupon clipper and can save some serious bucks by coordinating my coupons with the weekly grocery specials. If you didn't know, many grocery chains coordinate specials with coupons so you can double your fun that way. Last Sunday, for example, between the coupons and store specials, I saved $50 and brought my bill to $125. Yes it can take an hour or two a week to make out your grocery list, but where else can you make $50 a hour right now?

In addition to the Sunday paper, check out coupons.com where you can print out just the coupons you want. You may get a hard time from some cashiers (I do nearly every week) who think you're scamming them, but the store manager always approves the coupons. Problem was in the past Internet coupons would often get duplicated or sold via eBay and many stores flat-out rejected them. But coupons.com has watermarks and UPC codes -- totally on the up and up. (Check 'em out on my right-side column.)

And don't clip coupons for stuff you normally wouldn't buy -- that's a waste of money and time. Just stick with products you normally use, buy a small accordion file you can take to the store with you and weed out the expiring coupons at the beginning of every month so you don't miss out on their savings.

Also, sign up for e-mail newsletters from your favorite products -- there often are coupons attached to those as well.