Many people have been asking me to post my favorite list of bargain shopping sites.

A few months back, I started learning more about bargain shopping, coupon stacking, using sale flyers to do my shopping, etc. It takes a lot of time, but to me it is like a game. I like to see how much I can save weekly and how many items I can get for free.

Since I started, I have found the following 10 sites to be very useful in helping me understand how to bargain shop as well as alerting me to deals and specials at the stores I shop. Some of these sites overlap in the offers they find and post, but all are valuable to subscribe to if you want to learn all there is to know about bargain shopping.

My Top 10 Favorite Bargain Shopping/Savings Blogs (in no particular order):

1. DealSeekingMom.com – This blog is written by Tara who is dedicated to helping other moms learn how to save money in order to stretch their budgets.
2. SavingQueen.com – Maria writes this blog and she offers coupons, daily deals and sales updated on a daily basis.
3. NeverPayRetailAgain.net – I love Jodi’s advice at this site. She has found a way to live the good life while spending a lot less. She is a hip mom who loves fashion at a (steep) discount and saves a ton of money on the things her family needs, like food and toiletries, so she has the money to splurge on the things she wants – like vacations, clothing, and a healthy savings account. I feel my philosophy is similar to Jodi’s.
4. ConsumerQueen.com – Melissa at ConsumerQueen.com is great. She is the money saving mom who helps you fight the rising costs of the economy by changing the way you shop, and giving you frugal tips.
5. CouponDivas.com – I also love Kitty’s blog where you can find great tips and links to online coupons. She loves blogging, shopping, celebrity gossip, saving money, and of course, chocolate! In addition, she has a listing of restaurants where kids can eat for free.
6. Shop4Freebies.com – This is a great site for getting tons of freebies. So far, I have received samples for deodorant, Dunkin Donuts coffee, granola bars, snack packs, cologne for men and dozens of coupons for free products or savings.
7. Coupons.com – This site has hundreds of coupons that can be clicked on and printed. Their selection changes often.
8. MoneySavingMom.com – This blog, written by Crystal, is dedicated to helping you find great deals, stretch your hard-earned dollars, and live on less than you make so you can save more and give more.
9. DealFindingMom – This blog is written by Ronell who loves to find ways to save money and share tips.
10. TheCouponizer.com – I use and recommend this product for storing all of the coupons you clip. I desperately needed an organization system and found that this one worked well and was a manageable size. You can also find coupons and other offers at this site.

So there is my list. What have I missed. Are there any sites you use for finding coupons and bargains that is not listed above? Please leave a comment with the details and a link. Thanks

COUPON WORKSHOP: On July 25th from 10:00am – 11:30am, I will be teaching a course on how to use coupons and bargain shop at the Barrington Public Library in Barrington, NH. Space is limited to 30 people, call 664-9715 to register.

Traci Bisson has been a mom since February 2000 and an entrepreneur since August 2000. Eight weeks after she returned from maternity leave, the company where she had been employed for five years went out of business. She decided to try doing her own thing and failed miserably. After another year of working for two different companies (the first laid off the department she worked in and the other was showing signs of going under), she decided to try entrepreneurship again. Raising her two children and growing her company, Bisson Barcelona, has been both challenging and rewarding. Her story has been told in dozens of publications, including the Associated Press, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB.com), Plan Ahead Get Ahead (cover story), Union Leader, The Portsmouth Herald, Our Times and Seacoast Ventures.

Qvisory reports that nearly one in five young adults are unemployed or looking for work, and Harvard’s Jeff Frankel says the recession crisis is now tied for longest since the depression.

No worries though. Optimism is strangely abundant. “There is a newly forming society of people who are making the best of being laid off,” the Boston Globe reports.

So if you’re being a curmudgeon, stop it. The recession is a great time to advance your career. It’s a myth that there aren’t any jobs. Here are three places to discover your next position:

1) Companies that save consumers money.
“While most big retail chains are closing stores and radically cutting back on new outlets, the dollar chains are planning to open hundreds of stores this year,” reports the New York Times. Dollar stores are out-performing even the Wal-Mart giant.

Not only are these once-shifty chains grabbing up market-share, but they’re now considered hot. Not just for the prices, but because consumers are discovering their service is better.

Consumers opt for value and family time over shopping in a recession, so personal attention and conveniences like an easily-accessible staff, less-crowded aisles and traversable parking is tracking with the consumer’s re-discovered values.

The online coupon distributor Coupons.com is also rapidly expanding for similar reasons. Just look at their jobs page; they have twenty-nine open positions in engineering, finance, HR, sales, marketing, and operations. And my own company Alice.com has hired three additional employees since I began work in January.

Saving money, value and convenience are hot commodities during a recession, and these companies will need your help satisfying the consumer’s appetite.

2) Start-up companies that disrupt markets.
Start-up companies like Alice.com thrive during a recession not only because we will provide value to the consumer, but also because we will disrupt the traditional retail market.

Other start-ups with disruptive business models are poised to take a strong foot-hold as well, like Hulu. In a recent video interview, CEO Jason Kilar reported that Hulu is ahead of their revenue plan for 2009 and they have ten advertised jobs available.

Indeed, Business Week’s Mike Mandel cites evidence that 80% of the top-ten Fortune 500 companies were started during a recession. Recessions have historically weeded out bad ideas and enlivened entrepreneurship, all of which comes together in a perfect storm for job-seekers, innovators and new thinkers.

3) Public sector jobs that solve problems.
The shift in talent to disruptive markets and new growth industries (like green, tech and health care) will have a lasting effect on the nation and the economy.

Especially since traditional careers like law, journalism and finance are all suffering from an identity crisis drastically altering career paths towards public-sector jobs including positions in non-profits, cities, counties, states and other government agencies.

“New career directions are tethered less to the dream of an immediate six-figure paycheck on Wall Street and more to the demands of a new public agenda to solve the nation’s problems,” New York Times columnist Steve Lohr argues.

And those do-gooder jobs tend to be fairly recession-proof. The top ten cities for job growth in 2009 as reported by Forbes all benefited from plentiful government jobs.

Topping the list for job growth is Madison, Wisconsin, the city I call home. A spokeswoman for the city’s chamber of commerce claimed that Madison is “historically recession proof,” in part because the city is the seat of city, state and county governments, and they all provide jobs.

The tie that binds these three opportunities for job-seekers – smart retailers, disruptive start-ups and the public sector – is the emergence of meaningful work in the face of complex problems.

Hiring Revolution.

What do you think? Have you had trouble finding a job in the recession? What industries have you seen luck and growth in, and which have been more difficult? What companies are poised to hire the next generation of talent? 

When talking about high heels I try to bring my A game because I love them so much. I may not wear them a lot, but I know why to buy a pricey pair of heels and why they make me feel so fabulous.

They’re Comfortable

I know you’ve seen them. You’ve run into Payless, Target, or even Forever 21 and picked up those shoes and thought, “Wow! Those are cute! And $15? I’ll take 5!” And then, after a night out, or even a night out the door you’ve realized that you’ve made a very very bad decision on buying the cheap shoes.

Well, friends, that’s why you buy the expensive ones! The expensive ones, after broken in, are going to have the cushion that the cheap-o shoes never would have. They’re like a dream come true, and you love it.

They Last Longer

So you’ve gotten past the horrible feeling they give you. Maybe you rubbed some lotion on the spot that gives you a blister (Ashley Severson…wherever you are…you are my hero for that tip!) The shoes are cute enough. But, now, three months later you’ve worn the soles out, or something has broken. And that is just uber lame!

When you buy a pair of expensive heels, you need to think of it as an investment. These are going to last for a while. It’s like buying a Land Rover over a Kia. In the beginning it may be pricey, but in the long run…you’re the winner.

You’ll Save Money in The Long Run

In today’s world saving money is a big deal. So, if you’ve found the perfect pair of black Christian Louboutin pumps at $735…divide that by 12. It’s $61 a month. If you buy a new pair of alright shoes every month for that amount then you’ll just have one pair of quality shoes instead of many low quality shoes. It’s like the swim suit topic. I’d rather have one high quality piece then many low quality piece.  But, there are people who think variety are the spice of life.  It’s all up to you!

They Make You Look Good

Umm wow. I love those shoes.  You cannot just come across those shoes anywhere. End of story.  Did you see those Christian Louboutin shoes on Kelly Brook?

They Make You Feel Good

Just like anything else expensive. If you have the luxury of splurging on these types of things all the time, then I bet you ooze that confidence all the time. Or, if you’re like I am and just covet the things I write about, then just putting these shoes (that add up to rent for some people) then flaunt it! Luxury heels just do that to a person.

People Will Think You’re Awesome…You’re Wearing Heels.

When I was working in a professional environment, I wore pretty pricey heels (now they’re buried in my closet) and several times people complimented me on those heels. Everyone needs a compliment every now and then!

They’ll Give You Something to Talk About

Whether you’re with friends, or meeting new people, shoes are a great starting point. It’s like a first impression. “Oh! That was the girls with the awesome shoes!” Where did you buy them? Did you get them on sale? Where do you usually shop? Who do you shop with? It’s a great conversation starter.

People May Respect You More

Heels in general give you that sense of confidence you need to command the respect you deserve! So go girl!

You Can Support a Charity

Recently fraternities and sororities have started wearing heels to raise awareness for Domestic Violence, Breast Cancer, and Premmies. It’s a nifty way to draw attention to uniquely feminine diseases and conditions. So, if you happen across a group of guys (or very tired lookin’ ladies) point to your heels and let them know you’re supporting the cause too, with you’re luxury high heels!

Umm…and of course…you’ll be taller!

My number one reason to wear heels is to be taller. I have several friends that are well over 5′6″ and I’m 5′3″. I feel like a midget next to them. Of course I could wear my cheap-o shoes, but when I wear my expensive shoes I not only look and feel taller then they are, but I feel more confident!

Photos from: Bauer Griffin, Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter

Ashley Shute spends eight hours a day working as a blue jean and t-shirt wearing community organizer in San Antonio. The other 16 hours are dedicated to dreaming about and shopping for the latest luxury fashions. Her style icon is Jacqueline Kennedy; classic, clean, and always professional. You will never find a fake bag in her closet and she wants a collection of Manolo Blahnik shoes before she turns 30.

Although my personal financial situation hasn’t changed as a result of the worsening economy, I have found it to be a useful opportunity to get back in touch with frugality.

I have found it quite fun and exhilarating to embrace a more frugal lifestyle, and have exposed my tendency to go shopping when stressed rather than deal with the stress itself.

My biggest challenge, I have found, is not a desire to buy clothing, shoes or accessories; it’s that I want a new duvet cover. There is no real reason for wanting it other than the fact that I’m tired of our current one. A year ago I wouldn’t have hesitated, but this year I find myself constantly looking and almost buying, but holding back. As I consider each purchase, I come back to the fact that my current duvet cover works great. It’s attractive, and it has been a workhorse. It’s nowhere near the end of its life despite 4 years of service.

So … there is the creative, unfettered part of me that says “what are you worried about? Just buy it! It’s beautiful and will make you happy!”

Then there is the rational, prudent side of me that says “what are you really buying here? Happiness? A new duvet cover will not make you happy – only you can make you happy.”

I am left wondering: am I being cruel to myself by not buying a new duvet cover, or am I being kind to myself by recognizing that money can’t buy happiness?

I wanted to share with you a great site I have been using to purchase gift certificates for local restaurants. Occasionally you can purchase $25 gift certificates from Restaurant.com for only $3.00 each. I have done this three times now and find the savings are great especially in this economy when you still would like to go out and eat every now and then.

Today, I found an even better way to buy gift certificates at Restaurant.com. I signed up at Ebates.com, then purchased my gift certificates at Restaurant.com through Ebates.com and earned 15% back on my purchase. That makes the certificates about $2.55 each. Great deal! In addition, I received a $5 sign up bonus at Ebates.com.

The $3 for every $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate promo ends March 31st. Use code SAVE at checkout to get your discount.

So here is what you do to save:

• Go to ebates.com using this link…> (sign up for free today – it only takes 15 seconds and you’ll also get a $5 sign up bonus (I’ll get one too!))
• Search for Restaurant.com in their list of stores
• When on the Restaurant.com site, enter your zip code to see what restaurants are in your area
• Purchase the $25 gift certificates you want (pay attention to any special restrictions)
• Enter code SAVE at check out
• Print out your gift certificates
• Pass along your Ebates.com savings idea to your network

If you have additional savings ideas, please share. I went to the grocery store today and saved $40 using coupon layering techniques that I have been learning. I was psyched.

For more savings ideas, I suggest subscribing to the following blogs: http://neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com/, www.consumerqueen.com, www.coupondivas.com/, http://www.shop4freebies.com (this one is great for freebies and samples – I have gotten dozens of great items in the past few weeks), and I recommend www.thecouponizer.com for storing all of you wonderful coupons!

Happy savings!

My sweet 81 year old friend called today and told me she saved over $50.00 by using a suggestion from a sheet of organizing tips she had been given. Of course, I am always looking for organizing tips.

Now, I have to say, this tip is in the gray area between organizing and cleaning, but since I have several videos that border between organizing tips and other things (crafts, cleaning and interesting stuff) I am going to share this one.

Her dishwasher hadn’t completely drained the last two times she used it. She called the plumber who charged $50.00 just to come to the house. But he didn’t come when he said he would. She read on her sheet to use vinegar in the dishwasher to wash out the pipes. She used a gallon of vinegar without any dishes in it and ran the washer through a cycle. That took care of the problem. Imagine that one little idea saved her over $50.00!

Do you have any money saving organizing tips that we could use? If so, please share.

Marilyn Bohn is an energetic, lively, compassionate, hard working and creative organizer. She was born to organize! Before becoming a professional organizer she worked professionally in diverse environments. She is involved in her community, providing her clients with a broad base of experience and knowledge.  She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).