Here are links to some of the videos we're talking about on radio this week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CRs-7lRlPo

A sign of the times: Online searches for coupons have shot up over 160% since the recession began. We recently talked coupons on the CBS Early Show ... Retail 101 means I want to offer you the best possible price, but no better. That's why – and this is little known secret – the sooner you start acting like a bargain bee, the better the deals targeted to you will get. It's called dynamic pricing. Here are some of the sites featured on-air + MORE. Turns out, you have more control over the total tab at grocery stores, restaurants and local establishments than you may think ... It pays to be proactive.

CLIP COUPONS VIRTUALLY – SITES FOR SAVING ON GROCERIES:

www.Coupons.com

www.CouponMom.com

Because consumers are also facing high grocery prices, restaurants are really trying to keep their value propositions strong without eating into already strained margins. If consumers play their coupon cards right, it could actually be cheaper to eat out!

With money extra tight these days, instead of hiring a handyman, homeowners are increasingly turning to web sites like DIYlife.com for tips on tackling common household repairs on their own. From minor plumbing and electrical fixes to trouble-shooting doors, windows, appliances and even home computers ... Whatever problem you're having, chances are, someone else has had the same issue. Online searches can also turn up message boards where other online do-it-your-selfers have your back & can save you a buck.

Granted, the timing may be opportune as it appears there's an inverse relationship between the economy and online dating sites. A growing number of the estimated 92 million singles in the U.S. are turning to online dating sites to hunt for dates. Many are cutting back on big nights out and instead choosing to spend more time at home on the Internet surfing through profiles, which can take tons of time. As reported in the Washington Post, Match.com saw it's biggest one-month jump in seven years!

The L.A. Times reports eHarmony.com registrations is seeing signficant increases. And, get this, eHarmony and Match.com reported especially high traffic on days when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted. Apparently, cold weather is also a factor. Both sites can be accessed via AOL Personals.

Related: Online dating do's & don'ts.

WEB SURFERS SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF SPRING ONLINE:
Spring Break Travel Deals, Bathing Suit Season Shape-up, Tips for "Going Green," Fixing-up the House & Managing March Madness Bracketology.

Regina has pinpointed some of spring's most searched for topics to help consumers shake off the cold of winter and put them in the know for shaping-up, fixing-up, saving money and being ahead of the curve for the season's latest and hottest fads and interests.

SPRING BREAK TRAVEL: How can you really be sure you're getting the best price? What happens if the price drops AFTER you click to buy? Good news ... You could be eligible for the new lower fare. We'll show you how to get the credit you deserve and new cyber-savvy ways to use airline miles. Plus, this year, over 250,000 college students will go on Spring Break, and an unprecedented number of webcams will follow the action (for better or worse!). Expect to see the unexpected. We'll show you why & where your teen might think twice about striking the wrong – or even incriminating - pose in this tell-all, social networking age. www.Gadling.com

DIET DIARY: Start a Diet Diary: The multi-billion dollar diet industry isn't exactly known for FREE resources, but one of the most effective things you can do just launched online at ZERO cost. It's a diet diary to plan and track your food & nutrition in-take, plot and record your exercise regime and track your progress. According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a recently study indicated people who keep a food diary realize TWICE the weight loss of those who rely solely on dieting and exercise. The newly available tool generates printable graphs & spreadsheets, so you can really see how your diet stacks up against recommended guidelines for the goals you're trying to reach. If you're off-course, it shows up in the reports before it shows up on your waistline! http://www.aolhealth.com/food-diary

MARCH MADNESS: Online bracket challenges are in full force. Regina has tips and sites to help make sure you're Final Four picks are a slam dunk. This year there'll also be hours & hours of basketball coverage online and it may look better than ever with improved video streams comparable to high-def TV. It's one of the first big sports event to take advantage of it & the potentially career-saving "Boss Button" will also be back (not that you need it;). If you're looking to attend the Final Four in person, "sold out" doesn't' meant you can't get tickets online. We'll point you in the right ticket re-sale direction and fill you in on the going rate. www.Fanhouse.com

FREE CLASSIFIEDS: Here's a sign of the times... In response to demand for a way to bring classified listings across the web to one place, a new classifieds service boasts listings from EVERY zip code in and allows you to post your own ad for FREE. At launch, there are more than 40 million listings aggregated from more than 80 million sites, which means less searching and surfing for what you're after and more luck trying. www.classifieds.aol.com

My friend Sara is extremely diligent in her approach to "real food" and she dug up some terrific organic food coupon sites. I'm amazed how terrific these sites are & am excited to save on some of our favorite products & brands. Here's one of my new favorites:

www.mambosprouts.com

Alternative Spring Breaks are nothing new, but President Obama's call for increased community service has inspired legions...including spring breakers.

Students at Georgetown University paying it forward:
http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=40335

• Students participating in the Border Awareness Experience will share meals with immigrants and refugees on the U.S.-Mexico border and spend time with border patrol agents who work in the area surrounding El Paso, Texas

• In the Worker Justice D.C. program, students will learn more about the low-wage working community and its organizers struggling to improve local working conditions.


Background:
USAT: Economy inspires public service
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-03-09-publicservice_N.htm

Thanks for feedback on the CBS piece re: online coupons. It really is an interesting space & I think there's something empowering about sitting down at the computer and "making it happen." Who can afford not to? Here are some interesting stats pulled from the WSJ article "Coupons are Hot. Clipping is Not" by Timothy W. Martin.

In addition to the consumer side of things, there's some real draws for stores & manufactures. Consider these numbers (Source: WSJ)

* Coupon usage has surged about 10%
* Digital-coupon redemption rates are 13% vs 1% for newspaper circular coupons
* Speed to market is shorter -- General Mills can place a coupon online in a week vs 2 months with print media






I personally joined the P&G ESaver Club and have some free Pantene samples headed our way ... They also allow you to transmit coupons on some of their big brand names like Bounty & Crest directly to your grocery store loyalty card (the same "direct-to-card" concept we highlighted in reference to Shortcuts.com.



Hope helpful. I could really get into this .... Next Up: DOUBLING COUPONS & SAVING $ WITH YOUR CELL.

Truly tragic ... Glad Matt gave this attention & hats off to Parry Aftab for continuing to be in forefront. Look forward to doing what we can on our end to help as well. RELATED SEGMENT.

Industry veteran, Larry Magid has been on the forefront of kids safety online from the very beginning. One of his latest posts speaks to Facebook privacy settings. He delves into all of the options. This -- as relayed to Larry -- is one of the areas people ask me about most. So, am pleased to be able to point you in the right direction. Check out: HOW TO USE FACEBOOK PRIVACY SETTINGS. Controlling who can see your profile, who can see certain aspects of your profile, what appears & doesn't on your "wall," & how to UN-TAG photos of YOU posted by your friends on Facebook (VERY key thing to know).

MORE VIDEOS HERE & RELATED ARTICLES.

It's an over-the-top title for an over-the-top, but infectious best-selling book by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, whom you most certainly want to have a non-lunch with after reading the book. The Audio Book, etc. also widely available HERE.

Have shared with bunch of friends & we're comparing notes .... The DAIRY DISASTER CHAPTER seems to have particular "shock & awe" ....

Here's some of the opening lines: "Breast milk can grow an 8-pound newborn into a 24-pound toddler. Sounds pretty fattening, huh? It is. By design, it is intended to allow for the biggest growth spurt of a person's entire life."

Hmmmm ....

They go on to remind us: "Cows' milk, by design, grows a 90-pound calf into a 2,000 pound cow over the course of two years. It allows cows to double their birth weight in 47 days .... "

Hmmmm ....

Next week we're focusing on diet/nutrition TOP SEARCH TERMS & RESOURCES .... STAY TUNED. IN MEANTIME, HERE ARE SOME RELATED LINKS & RESOURCES: Diet, Fitness & Exercise Tips & What's the Latest Diet Craze?

This "The Crisis of Credit Visualized" video by Jonathan Jarvis is being widely viewed online & raking in comments. We talked about in on WSJ Radio with Gordon Deal. Jonatahn is an LA-based designer and certainly went to town with this media design. My only contention -- which raised in comment on the site & on-air -- is the characterization of people who got sub-prime mortgages as chain-smoking, tattooed, deadbeats with too many kids. The visual is a little harsh. Maybe they just made a bad call/personal finance decision? Could be. Overall, it's definitely worth a look if you're trying to get your head around the sale, reselling and risk tiers of mortgages. My little brother tried to explain this over Thanksgiving dinner. Think only my dad & brother-in-law really got it. Now, I get it ....

Clara is so darling & am enjoying talking about her on the radio this morning.... She's 93 years old, a great story-teller and great grandmother. She recounts her childhood during the Great Depression as she prepares meals from the era, in a series titled "Great Depression Cooking -- Poorman's Feast." It's like visiting your own Grandmother or Great Aunt's kitchen (if you are blessed enough to be able to do so). There is something particularly touching & instructive about it. "Back to Basics" seems so sensible & as she speaks you can't help but think of the nearest mega supermarket and how things have changed so much in just a matter of decades. It also strikes me as a sign of the times as oral history is forever changed by the online medium. The advent and acceleration of video on the web, means incredible access to places you're privileged to spend a few minutes -- like Clara's kitchen.

Yesterday, had an intriguing e-mail discussion with Jesse Kornbluth (a.k.a. Head Butler) re: the state of social networking. I didn't ask him if could share the exchange, so will restrain. In the meantime, this WSJ article (you may need to subscribe & it's worth it) is a really intriguing trend ....

Status: Dad Wonders If He Can Last All of Lent Without Facebook

Today on radio stations across the country, we're talking about some of the most compelling videos on the web. They're worth a look if you get a second. One of them falls into a new category: the most Twittered videos on Truveo. Meaning the video links people are including in their Twitter updates. I would imagine this one may be shared when people miss planes & want to show friends, family & colleagues how they feel ... This poor woman missed her flight from Hong Kong to San Fran. She's despondent. To say the least. Maybe she's missing her daughter's wedding? Whatever the case, Gawker may have put it best: "Airport Tantrum Lady Cries for All of Us."