These days your teens' friends aren't just the kids hanging out in your kitchen and family room; they're hundreds of contacts on their "friend" and "buddy" lists. More than 50 million teens (ages 13-17) are online worldwide, and the average number of "friends" is 130. For many teens, these numbers are even higher. It's not unusual to have hundreds of friends and thousands of photos.

So, how can you realistically keep up with your child's vast circle of friends and ongoing status and photo updates?

1. Become a Friend

For starters, you can become your child's friend online. He or she will need to accept your friend request. This can be easier said than done. In some cases you may get push-back. It's your call how strongly you press. There are more private alternatives. A new product called Safe Social lets you privately see everything you would as a friend and even more. Many kids prefer this route. Remember, you're not spying on them; you're simply doing your job as an informed and involved parent.


2. Curb the Comments

Be sure not to push your luck by excessively commenting on your child's page once you are granted access. Grandparents can be over-commenting culprits too. Often, teens find this embarrassing and it may even lead to having them "unfriend" you. It happens all the time as they seek more independence.

3. Get a Report Card

The new parenting tool Safe Social offers a time-efficient and thorough way to keep tabs on your children's social networking without being too intrusive. It delivers an easy-to-read report card providing a 360-degree view of their overall social networking -- what they're saying and doing and who their friends are. This addresses one of the biggest issues facing parents all over the country -- feeling like you need to spend hours each week monitoring your child's online activity and still not being really sure you're seeing everything (they can filter your view) or what you might be missing (what's happening on their friends' pages).


4. Watch the Friends

Some friends your children may know well; others, they may barely know at all. Young people tend to think they know all the friends in their social network, but often, they really don't. Predators, whether bullies or sexual offenders, often masquerade as friends. The key is to unmask them. Safe Social's Friend Engine takes an extensive look at your kids' friends and checks them against more than 50 databases and other factors to see if they may not be who they say they are. You'll be alerted when an adult becomes a friend of your child, when someone looks suspicious or has no or few other mutual friends with your child.


5. Focus on Flagged Language and Photos

Specific words that may come up in strings of conversations -- sex, drugs, alcohol, suicide and so on, and suggestive or violent language -- will be flagged, so you can hone in on suspect dialogue. You can even opt to be immediately notified via an e-mail alert. This piece could prove priceless in protecting your children's safety and managing their reputations. Teen and preteen online behavior can be unpredictable and have devastating consequences. Safe Social helps catch situations before they spiral out of control. While every conversation and image is archived, you can adjust the setting to simply view those that are called out. This lets you give young people more privacy as they mature. You will see all photos, including those other people post of your child. Young people tend to push limits with photos, so checking this is critical.


Overall, social networking is an integral part of many teenage lives and an opportunity for your kids to learn to express themselves in a creative and responsible fashion. It's too big a trend to ignore. You can embrace it with these new tools on your side.

For more information, visit: www.SafeSocial.com, Safety.AOL.Com & ReginaLewis.com.

As seen this morning on The Early Show (CBS) – Regina discusses the latest high-tech back to school supplies.

Here's a look at some of the sites and topics we are covering on stations nationwide this week ... News You Can Use & Must Click Sites: The All-Access Pass Redefined, Safer Online Shopping Tips, Who Flies the Friendliest Skies, and More!

• Not Your Traditional Backstage Pass: Your favorite artists are letting you in... via the Web. Game-changing new site Cambio.com offers fans an all-access pass to see what happens behind the scenes of shows by the Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Demi Lavato, and more. This goes beyond music as you're seeing everything that happens ... after they leave the stage.


• Home Buying Help: Now that the Federal First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit has expired consumers are scrambling for information and incentives. The good news, they exist if you know where to look and how to qualify, but the process can be daunting. AOL Real Estate offers a first look at brand new resources with insider tips on getting a loan despite today's tighter standards. Also, AOL Real Estate, in participation with Bank of America Home Loans, is hosting an online discussion with real estate experts, moderated by Regina, who will answer consumers' burning questions about home buying in today's market. Be sure to log on here, June 23rd at 7:30pm to watch. The show will be archived, so you can also watch at your convenience.


• Shop Safer Online, Every Time: You've got a lot of power in your finger. With one click of the mouse, you can purchase just about anything online. Even though online shopping is generally much safer than it was at the dawn of the Internet, there are still many potential pitfalls and new threats are introduced every day. So, it can, literally, pay to think twice before you 'add to cart.' From watching out for cookies to paying for online purchases with credit instead of debit. Regina runs down some simple shopping tips to keep you safe and save you money.

• Who Flies the Friendliest Skies? No hot food, no pillows and blankets, and on some flights, no complimentary water. What's left? The one thing that can turn a long, meal-less coach flight from an ordeal to a joyride ... friendliness: helpful airline personnel and flight attendants with a positive attitude. Traveling coast-to-coast, AOL's Mystery Flyer goes undercover to find the friendliest flight attendants and most helpful service. Find out how the competition stacked up.


• Bring Your Computer Up to Speed: So maybe your computer isn't quite as fast as you would like it to be. Maybe you're lagging when you try to play games or it hangs on the crucial part of that video you're streaming. Get the clutter and waste off your computer by quickly removing unnecessary and temporary files. Regina has the scoop on how to recover valuable disk space in seconds and get your computer running up to 300% faster.


• Hot Viral Video: So many online videos, so little time. We've tracked down the "must see" viral video of the week. At Holmes Middle School in Alexandria, VA., teachers perform Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" during the annual talent show. While the video did draw a lot of positive comments from YouTube viewers, there were those who thought the teachers should have chosen something a little less racy. Take a look and judge for yourself.

Lester Holt gracious as always this morning. We covered Spring Sites -- things that'll help you get the most out of the season.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here's a quick list of the sites: www.when.com -- what's happening when in your area. zip code driven. includes free events & things happening in the next 24 hrs. www.trails.com-- 46,000 hiking, walking and biking trails. Who knew? Terrific resource. www.TourTracker.com -- Folks on the set intrigued by this one. It's an impressive site & Lester is real music lover. find concerts, music reviews & more. Awesome find. www.habitat.org -- Good time to plan construction projects you can get involved with.

TourTracker.com as featured on TODAY SHOW.

More than 40% of Americans will take back at least one gift after the holidays (Source: NRF). Here's quick video seen on news websites across the country & some corresponding notes + resources ....

There's no "one-size-fits-all" returns policy. While most stores offer shoppers the standard 30 days for returns, policies can vary by retailer. Watch for 14 day return deadlines on items like computers and other electronics. And whether you bought a gift in store or online, may also affect the returns procedure. If you did buy online, some retailers will require you to mail the item back, while others allow in-store returns. WalletPop.com has a terrific round-up with details by retailer.

Retailers more liberal with holiday returns: If you show up at the store to make a return, chances are you are also there to do more shopping, especially taking advantage of post-holiday sales. Retailers realize this, and if the past is any indication, return policies tend to be more lenient after the holidays. In fact, about one-third (28%) of retailers say their return policy is more flexible during the holidays than it is during the course of the year (Source: NRF Survey – Oct 2009). Merchants should do their best to work with you.

SNOWED IN? RUN OUT OF TIME? HERE'S WHERE TO CLICK IN THE CLUTCH ... MINUTES MATTER IF YOU HAVE YOUR EYE ON GETTING SOMETHING UNDER THE TREE IN TIME. LOG ON & YOU MAY BE IN LUCK ... WE'LL TELL YOU WHERE TO LOOK, IF THERE'S A CATCH & FILL YOU IN ON SOME 11th HOUR GIFT IDEAS TO SAVE FACE & FULFILL EXPECTATIONS ... READ ON FOR SEVEN STEALTH MOVES .... DONE CORRECTLY, THEY'LL NEVER KNOW YOU WAITED TILL THE LAST MINUTE! ..

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In what is being billed as the holiday season of the bargain hunter, your holiday budget may be bigger than you think. There are creative ways to stretch your dollar and uncover some hidden buying power you may not even know you have ... We're talking about payment options other than cash on the CBS EARLY SHOW this morning. The secret is rethinking what "currency" means.

1. CREDIT CARD REWARDS: Redeem for Merchandise

a) Discover has a Cashback Bonus program. Members can redeem their Cashback Bonus for gift cards from over 100 top retailers including: Brookstone, Fandango, Gap, Food Locker, FAO Schwarz, JCPenney, iTunes, Macys, Old Navy, Overstock.com, Red Envelope, Sears, Sephora, Bloomingdales, Blue Nile , HP, Lane Bryant and many others. (You do need an account to browse the online mall.)

b) American Express rewards. You can earn 1 Membership Rewards^® point for virtually every dollar you spend. 1,000 points equal about $5 when redeemed for merchandise. Use your points online at shopamex.com where you can but things like Nintendo Wii games for example. A $48.00 Wii game can be had for just under 9600 points. You can exponentially increase the rate at which you earn points by taking advantage of merchants offering 3-5X points for every dollar spent.

2. AIRLINE MILES
You may not have enough miles for a round-trip flight, but you can also redeem airline miles for holiday gifts. United has a Merchandise Rewards website where you can trade points for anything from cookware to watches to electronics. United Merchandise Rewards

Same goes for some hotel rewards programs like Hilton HHonors

3. TAPPING INTO UNUSED GIFT CARDS
If you have yet to redeem unused gift cards from last holiday season, you're not alone – one of four gift-card recipients have yet to redeem a card they received in 2008 (Source: Consumer Reports). We're not suggesting you re-gift the old gift cards (that's your call), but what you can do is swap them for cash online on sites like www.giftcards.com. Expect to get back between 65% of the gift card's value.

4. OLD GADGETS = NEW BUYING POWER
Electronics will be hot gifts this holiday season & you may be able to cash in by recycling some of the old gadgets you are replacing. As part of their new trade-in and recycling program, Sears is offering gift cards for your old electronics – think MP3 players, digital cameras, cell phones – even old video games and DVDs. We've had great success with this model in our home.

Log onto sears.gazelle.com, where you'll be prompted to enter brand and model information, indicate whether the device works or is damaged, and answer questions about condition and the presence of various accessories. Then, click 'calculate,' and up pops the trade-in value. EXAMPLE: A used, three year old Cannon digital camera in "good" condition is worth $61.00. In "fair" condition, it's worth $53.00. If you're satisfied with the offer, the company will provide free shipping and packaging to return the equipment; and you'll receive your Sears gift card in a week or so. As a special holiday promotion, Sears says participants will receive a 5 percent bonus over the actual trade-in value through Dec. 31. Customers can redeem Sears gift cards online or in store.

Best Buy is also offering gift cards for used electronics. They have an online estimator so you can see how much your stuff is worth. You can then print a prepaid shipping label from the Best Buy website. You can also make trade in's at Best Buy stores for select items like laptops and iPods, if you originally purchased the items at Best Buy. There are also in-store kiosks where you can trade in previously viewed movies.

IF BLACK FRIDAY DIDN'T PRODUCE THE KILLER BUY YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR, THERE'S ALWAYS CYBER MONDAY ... "Cyber Monday" is the Monday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 30th this year). Retailers see this day as their first opportunity to target holiday shoppers who may have window-shopped over the weekend ... When the kids go back to school and they hit their computers at home -- and dare I say -- at work. This year, there'll be a ton of CYBER MONDAY DEALS. Here's where to find CYBER MONDAY DEALS and some Do's & Don'ts. The biggest winners so far? Department store websites: Up 151%. Neiman Marcus is currently offering free shipping & gorgeous free gIft wrapping too. Can't beat the presentation & the packaging alone is tremendous value.

IS CYBER MONDAY THE BIGGEST ONLINE SHOPPING DAY OF THE YEAR?

Just as Black Friday isn't really the biggest offline shopping day of the year (it's actually the w-end before Christmas), Cyber Monday is a term coined by the National Retail Federation and while it's certainly one of the biggest shopping days of the year, the biggest volume day usually falls around Dec 14 one of the last days for standard shipping. But, every year, the Cyber Monday stakes get higher and so is the potential upside for retailers and consumers who take advantage of the fact fourth quarter is make or break for most retailers -- they're pulling out all the stops to get your business, especially online which could prove to be a bright spot in their portfolio. Big players like JC Penney expect online sales to be its fastest-growing area. Kohls is predicting a 30% increase as result of aggressive online advertising. And, Amazon continues to post some amazing numbers.


In terms of the Internet's influence .... Here's the biggie. Beyond sales online today & throughout the season, the web is predicted to influence 1 out of 4 holiday sales (Source: NRF Survey) as consumers look online for product reviews, deals, coupons, price comparisons and gift ideas -- particularly at the more-popular-than-ever $25 an under price point -- which are on the frontscreens right now of almost every major Internet service, shopping site and magazine site.


IT SEEMS LIKE PRICES ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME. HOW CAN I REALLY BE SURE AM GETTING THE BEST PRICE?

Dynamic pricing on the web enables retailers to slash and manipulate prices on the fly, so the price-cutting and discounting is even more ferocious. To really up the ante, some sites have deals of the day with tickers counting down the time they'll be available. If you're after a certain price, you can sign up to be notified via alerts when it hits your mark from sites like www.pricegrabber.com and www.priceprotectr.com

The key is knowing a good deal when you see one & that means knowing the price it usually goes for and is going for elsewhere. That's where price comparison shopping comes in by using shopping search on major shopping sites like AOL & Yahoo Shopping and price comparison engines like PriceGrabber.com. This single step can save you -- on average -- as much as 35% on a single item.

COUPON CODES WERE THE RAGE LAST YEAR ... ARE THEY STILL KEY & WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM?

Leaving the promotional code box empty. If they're asking for one, that means it exists. Search for the code on sites like couponcabin.com, grab it & then check out. Also, if you get the mail order catalog for a site you're shopping at, thumb through the pages -- they may have inserted codes in there too.

SHOULD YOU BE SUSPECT IF YOU DON'T SEE A PRICE LISTED? WHY DO THEY SOMETIMES MAKE YOU WAIT TILL YOU ADD IT TO YOUR CART?

The best kept secret is actually something that throws a lot of people off -- It's NOT seeing the price of an item before it is added to their cart. You get -- understandably -- skeptical. It's a real issue & Amazon is working on it. Here's the backstory according to an Amazon spokesperson we connected with: some items require you to add them to your shopping cart BEFORE you get to see the price. Consumers, frustrated by hidden prices and wary of hidden agendas, might worry they will have to go through a long process to find out the price, but they don't. And if you just move on to the next product, you could miss out on real savings.

These products and others, are affected by manufacturer advertising restrictions whereby some manufacturers consider an online listing for a product the equivalent to media advertising. Just as brick and mortar stores cannot pick the prices in their distributed advertising/circulars, Amazon, in some instances, cannot display a price that is lower than the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Whenever you have to add something to your cart, it's probably a GOOD THING. You'll likely get a great deal.

There are thousands of recipes online, including just-in-time turkey dishes and endless suggestions for side dishes. It's also a clutch resource for turkey day rookies earning their wings. Log on HERE for recipe ideas ranging from a traditional roasted turkey, to a hickory smoked bird, to one prepared with cranberry nut stuffing. Hunky celebrity chef Curtis Stone says it's all in the twine ...

Curtis Stone The Whole Bird !

For those entertaining larger parties, you may be wondering how big a turkey to buy in the first place ... we've got help in that department as well. Log on to Butterball.com to use their handy Turkey and Stuffing Calculator. Just punch in the number of adults and children you're hosting and it tells you how many pounds your turkey should be and how many cups of stuffing to prepare ... There's even has an option to allow for leftovers, so you can enjoy a turkey sandwich the next day without totally overbuying & overspending. Turkey & TV's are pretty affordable this time of year. Walmart is slashing prices in 1/3rd -- a 12 pounder for $4.80! Safeway is taking a loss-leader approach, offering a free turkey with a minimum purchase of $200 or more. Here's an interestig SNAPSHOT.

Many are looking to have a slightly greener meal. ShelterPop.com offers up ways we can all give thanks to the planet by making our turkey day celebrations a little more eco-friendly. Shelterpop suggests reducing waste by looking for foods with limited packaging and dining on "Tofurkey" – essentially a tofo-turkey.

And if youve got vegeterian or vegan guests or feel torn by the Turkey tradition, you can ADOPT A TURKEY instead of eating one. Farm Sanctuary has resecued more than 1,000 turkeys. For a one time donation of $25, anyone can sponsor a turkey and get an adoption gift certificate. One radio host today suggesting eating one & adopting one, so you can call it a wash.

Enjoyed talking with stations across the country about pulling off Halloween on a budget. This weekend, we walked the talk and got together with friends + neighbors for pumpkin carving. Here's some of the information on sites referenced in the TV segments on stations, including 9NEWS.Com (NBC-Denver) & FOX-Detroit + photos from our personal shindig (an attempt at applying some of the tips!) A few people took home their seeds .... When looked at the overnight AOL Hot Search list, sure enough ... it's happening all over the country .... there's a surge in demand for what to do with pumpkin seeds ... The term landed in the #8 slot. You can even ROAST THEM.

Decorating on a Dime: www.ShelterPop.com Some neat inspiration here & pretty darn doable.

Here's what we dreamt up at our own home (pumpkins bought in bulk); "achievement" trophies from K2; & tents with LED Christmas lights from Sears. The nice guy from Sears who helped me with the purchase, explained the LED Energy Saver lights cost more, but are brighter. He was right. They really did the trick + love the look.

RELATED POST: PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY

MORE "AS SEEN ON TV"

Should I unplug things? savings-experiment That question and others answered here. They break down the eye-opening math. A lot of practical takeaways.

HOT Hampsters!: Where to Find Them. You can't make it up!

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Fun being at TODAY SHOW this week ... We're talking all-things-shopping ... Here are some links in case helpful. Lester seemed to enjoy Beatles Rock Band & special thanks to the folks from MTV who graciously helped make it all come together. Amy wasn't up for singing, but -- like every parent I speak with -- she was intrigued by the Zhu Zhu pet hamsters.

For starters, you're not seeing things ... Christmas merchandise is already on the shelves and the National Retail Federation says 40% of consumers are expected to start their holiday shopping BEFORE Halloween. So, what are the TRENDS driving this year's biggest retail season and what's YOUR best shopping game plan?

* Deemed "Christmas Creep" (as in "creeping up" on calendar).

* Crucial for retailers (season often accounts for 25-40% of annual sales).

You're not seeing things ... Christmas decorations and related items are out earlier this year and consumers are getting a jump on holiday shopping. In fact, 40% of shoppers say they'll start BEFORE Halloween. Retailers are banking on you not being able to wait & keeping lean inventory this year (they don't want to risk being stuck with excess items & keep in mind THEIR credit is tighter this year too). We'll be covering this space closely on-air and on this site. So, keep coming back ... :)


Flat or Modest Rise in Holiday Sales Expected:
Many early projections suggests retail spending in the final two months of 2009 – a season that accounts for a large proportion of sales and profits – will be flat or may show only a very modest increase over last year. Still, this is an improvement over last year which saw the first decline in decades.

Retailers Keeping Tight Inventories – "Buy Now" for Best Selection:
After being left over with a glut of inventory in 2008, many retailers have scaled back their purchases. Plus, their lines of credit could be tighter too (think: banks tightening restrictions). This means they may hold off on offering steep, profit-eroding discounts to reduce inventories until after the holiday season passes. For consumers it means an emphasis on buy it now vs. late, or risking gettinging "shut out" on hot gifts or paying ABOVE retail if something gets bid up on eBay.

Shop Early, Save Money:
Planning in advance, making a list and getting started early are all good bets for saving money. And because 4^th quarter sales are so vitally important to retailers, many offer early discounts to consumers to stoke their spending habits. It's working on me:)

Free Shipping Offers Online:
Online, e-tailers are more likely to dangle the two most powerful words in online shopping: "Free Shipping," in October and November. The longer you wait to shop, you will find those offers will quickly be going, going, gone. Etailers are often willing to absorb flat-rate shipping charges, which are widely available at the start of the season. But as deadlines near and rush shipping charges kick in, they've got to pay the UPS and FedExes of the world a premium and they're likely going to pass that cost along. Personally, am a big fan of Amazon Prime which gets me free shipping almost all the time, all year. More to come on this & whether the math might make sense for you too.

Coupon Use up Online & Offline:
The economies slow recovery, has fueled a major resurgence in coupon use both online and offline. Coupons have become a promotion for retailers, whether they are sticker to the front of a catalog that arrives in your mailbox or pushed to you in an email newsletter. Retailers are giving consumers just enough to get over the hump (to buy), but no more than that. Nuts not to use a coupon when they're readily available.

Hot Holiday Toys – "Must Haves":
It happens every holiday season ... there's a must-have toy or electronic gadget that flies off store shelves – think: Nintendo Wii, FURBIES or maybe Tickle Me Elmo rings a bell. Hot items like these can create a frenzy online, with Internet shoppers logging on time and time again in hopes of see those two magic words: "in stock." What's expected to be hot this year? (hint: something called Zhu Zhu pets made the list).

Toy Prices Expected to be Reasonable Again:
While it's hard to say for sure what will sell out and what won't, one thing we know with certainty is, parents are on a budget and they're searching for bargains. This has toy manufacturers responding with lower prices. In fact, half of the "hot 20" toys chosen by The Toy Insider, a consumer shopping guide, retail for $30 or less. But if you plan to snap up these bargains, don't wait. Last year, Walmart sold out of their industry trend-setting $10 toys. They had ten of them. This year? They're planning to have 100 of them!

Related articles:
Nielsen: Upcoming holiday season festive but frugal - Ecommerce - BizReport
Retailers deck the halls while calendar says early fall - The Boston Globe
Nervous US retailers brace for critical holiday season - Yahoo! News
Wal-Mart supersizes its $10 holiday toy program | U.S. | Reuters