There really are legit ways to work from home online ... And we're not just talking eBay. Here are five sites you may not know that could bring in some dough. Find out where to look, the Do's & Don'ts and how much you can reasonably expect to make. Plus, some important "red flags" to watch for.

Hundreds of thousands of full-time, home-based freelancers and independent contractors in the US are expected to be added to the workforce in 2010 and that number only goes up when you start counting part-time independent contractors looking to pick up work and earn cash fast or supplement their existing income. In other words, people are saying, "Look, I can't afford to wait. I'm ready, willing and able to work now, from right here!"
This is especially true for households where a spouse has lost a job or in cases where someone is juggling household, childcare and elder care responsibilities. The earnings may be a "must" & the flexibility can be invaluable.

It also makes sense when you look at the degree of down-sizing in corporate America. You've got folks who are accustomed to earning a certain amount and living a certain lifestyle. When they get cut, finding work online can be tremendously empowering ... In part, because the more you pour yourself into it, the more you can make. I think this is what many of us are after in a world with little-to-no job security. We want to feel like we have a little more control over our financial destiny.

Plus, entire industries have transformed. Newspapers come to mind ... And this shift to working remotely is a natural trendline enabled by technology. It's a trend too big to dodge. So, embrace it.

Five Things to Keep in Mind When Searching for Home-based Jobs Online:

1) GET TECH- READY
First, walk before you run. Make sure you have high speed access, don't have a love/hate relationship with your laptop and be sure your printer isn't about to run out of ink! A dedicated space and phone line is also high priority for your working area.

2) WATCH YOUR WATCH
Watch your watch in terms of really understanding the amount of time you're willing and able to dedicate to your online venture. Take it slow and err on side of adding hours over time and scaling up vs taking on too much out of the box and potentially jeopardizing your results and – by extension – your reputation and ratings.

3) BE READY TO COMPETE
It's competitive. The top employers are competing for the top talent and the top talent is competing for limited opportunities. In many cases some employers are only accepting 10% of applicants. The good news is, they're actually accepting 10%! Also, don't price yourself right out of a job. Just as you might compare prices on eBay before making a bid, make sure you know what the going rate is for the work you're qualified to do. And, remember, players with established track records can probably charge more, so you may need to under-cut them on price when you're first getting started.

4) MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
Manage your own expectations regarding how much money you can reasonably expect to pull in. Most of the sites covered below try to present a candid picture of income potential and will flat out tell you – with few exceptions – they're not intended to provide a primary revenue stream. A few extra bucks? Absolutely. And who doesn't need a few extra bucks?

5) OVER-DELIVER
Success breeds success. Once you get your foot in the virtual door ... deliver. That goes without saying, so will take it a step further ... Over-deliver to ensure a high rating and reputation. This will bring more opportunities your way and the ability to charge more premium rates. It's all about the climb ... Some things never change:)


Be Wary of Work from Home Scams:
There is a fair amount of fraud in this arena. Two of the biggest "red flags" to be on the lookout for are:

1) Requests for Cash: Needing to shell out up-front cash (e.g., investing in a sales "kit" or being asked to pay to find out about job openings).

2) Requests for Personal Information: Having to hand over a lot of personal and financial information up-front, which could be an identity theft scam.

Five Legit Sites for Earning Money from Home:

1) www.eJury.com:

The virtual jury is one of the newest tools used in pre-trial research aimed at helping lawyers develop their courtroom presentations, select the best jurors for their cases and reach negotiated settlements. Let them try the case on you. Interesting and profitable work at $5-10 per verdict depending on the length of the case and the amount of material they're asking you to review.


The case I reviewed took me roughly 30 minutes to review facts; assess diagrams; and answer questions, including figures on amounts of money I think would fairly and reasonably compensate for damages. So, that's about $20 an hour on my end & it's interesting work. They're often trying to get a ballpark sense for what will fly in the actual court room. This is an efficient way for lawyers to try out arguments pre-trial and make adjustments based on feedback. You get "called" to be a virtual juror based on zip code (the jurisdiction you're in). So, you can't bank on getting this work. Some counties have as many as one case a week going through the ejury system. (Here's a sample of what a case looks like).

2) www.Seed.com:

There's so much talk about digital journalism and blogging these days, this site seems like a sign of the times . ... Seed.com is a new site that will pay you for articles, photos and soon videos too. When you go to the site you'll see assignments from editors in AOL's network of more than 80 top sites on the web – Asylum, PawNation, ThatsFit, etc. They're credentialed journalists looking for high-caliber content and lots of it. So, the standards are high, but so is the demand, since the distribution is built in. The Seed network "seeds" stories for existing sites, so they already have an audience.

When you go to Seed, you can view the available assignments. It's as if you've got a seat at the newsroom assignment desk (see: How it Works).

Current assignments include: 100 Words or Less on Your Best Packing Tips or Best Road Trip Tips ... Both going for $10. An article on Taking Care of Antique Silverware will suggest, including tips at least 2 different methods and answering: Can you run through the dishwasher? How should you store? If editors accept your work, you get paid a flat fee. In this case, $25 for 400 words. If you know your stuff, the free tool they provide to submit material is incredibly user-friendly.

Many of the assignments are "hyper-local" .... Things like Local Luxury Day Spas in X Area or Navigating Unemployment in X State. Grabbing a local beat is a great way to get in the game.

On the higher earning end .... If you're already spending significant amounts of time planning a family vacation, maybe you can turn that into taking advantage of a more substantial writing assignment involving interviewing local residents, etc. Something along these lines of magazine-caliber at 1500 words is currently being sought for $300.

If/when your work is accepted, you essentially hand over the rights for a flat fee. A dashboard tracks your current assignments, the # of views you're getting and your earnings. The PAY ME NOW button issues weekly payments.

3) www.ChaCha.com

We've all done our share of Googling ... And now you can actually get paid to search for answers for ChaCha.com users. ChaCha is a search engine that just passed benchmark of answering one MILLION questions a day! You can apply to be one of the people who decides what search results pop up when someone types in, phones in or texts an inquiry on a topic you're passionate about – anything from God to Guitars and from Diabetes to Decorating. There are currently 55,000 ChaCha guides nationwide. It's an attractive part-time gig for night owls in particular, as well as college students and retirees.

All you need is a high-speed connection to be apply to become a guide. Fair warning: Not everyone can be a guide. There are entrance tests and limited opportunities. If you're lucky enough to be one of the 10% of applicants accepted, you'll go to "Search University" and then quickly be on your way to earning points for each search or task you complete. Points convert into cash at end of month. While this is not designed to be a primary revenue source. in their own words, it can be "more than chump change." In fact, ChaCha tells us most guides make a few hundred dollars per month. More than chump change, indeed.

4) www.VIPDesk.com:

Become a virtual concierge or customer service representative helping people plan travel, find home improvement contractors, etc. The job can be done from home, anywhere in the country, at set hours for generally $10-12 an hour. This is growing trend in this economic climate ... In fact, VIP Desk tells us they're recruiting now with plans to add hundreds more people to their network with a mix of independent contracting and part- and full-time opportunities. It is competitive, but fantastic work for people who live in remote locations or who are juggling child- or elder-care responsibilities.


Approximately 1/2 of their Brand Ambassadors are bilingual, so if you speak multiple languages you may really have a leg up. When you sign up you get a schedule weekly or biweekly with your assigned The work varies by season, since many retail clients – including Eddie Bauer and Bluefly use VIPDesk to field customer service calls. Right now, ServiceMagic is gearing up for all the people who will be looking for Spring cleaning and home improvement efforts ... They generate leads for contractors, plumbers and the like ... Rather than take the calls directly, while they're out on a job, VIP Desk customer service reps serve as their frontline.

5) www.eLance.com:

This site is the new way to work for many small businesses with less than 500 employees. Monthly hiring is up roughly 40% year-over-year. They're not looking to hire someone in two weeks or two months, odds are, they needs something N-O-W. There are currently thousands of open jobs on this site – everything from building Facebook apps to ghostwriting books, developing marketing materials and writing executive bios.

You submit a proposal for the work; get hired and agree upon terms and milestones. At the end you submit your invoice and funds are released from escrow. This is key because one of the things freelancers and elancers struggle with is getting paid and getting paid expeditiously. So the fact that elance provides a tool to facilitate this and that the project is funded up-front is significant benefit.

As freelancing has traditionally been, elancing is great way to get a foot in door and build a reputation. You'll be rated on your work (much like eBays rating system for sellers). The more positive your rating, the more likely work is to come your way. Over time some elancers pair up with other high-rated elancers and bid on bigger more profitable pieces of business. So, you may start by going it alone and end up joining others and earning a piece of a potentially bigger pie.

QUESTIONS? SUGGESTIONS? We'll be taking them on ABC News Now via AIM: ReginaLewis & Twitter.com/ReginaLewis

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! ..

SHIPPING DEADLINES ARE APPROACHING FOR ONLINE SHOPPERS ... WHEN DO FREE OR DISCOUNTED SHIPPING DEALS BEGIN TO EXPIRE?

As seen this morning on The Early Show (CBS), we took a look at some unique and hard-to-find holiday gifts. Read more


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Regina Lewis shows The Early Show's Harry Smith how to have a holiday on the cheap by getting great holiday gifts for free through credit card rewards and other methods. Read story


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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.

We see it every year ... lines extending around the block ... shoppers camping out at storefronts the night before ... die hard deal-seekers willing to go all out to score some of the best deals of the year. But well before Black Friday ad circulars appear on doorsteps or in mailboxes across the country, the deals are "leaked" online. In fact, searches on AOL for "Black Friday Ads" always spike this time of year. The ads themselves end up on sale spotting sites like BlackFriday.FM, WalletPop.com and BlackFriday.Gottadeal.com.


Editors on these sites(and help on our own end with go-to guy Jeff Corbett) invest a ton of time checking prices from store-to-store and site-to-site, posting the best deals – often with coupon codes & printable coupons to save you even more. You can search the deals by store name or category: electronics, apparel, sporting goods, etc. The info. can be really helpful in figuring out which way to point your mouse or your car.

HOT BLACK FRIDAY DEALS

Walmart - Sub $200.00 laptop; 100 toys $10:
- Emachines brand laptop for $198.00.
- Walmart will also have "100 toys priced at $10," including in-demand items like Barbie dolls and action figures.


Target - 32" TV for $246.00; $3.00 appliances:
- In store only - $246.00 for a 32" Flat Screen LCD HDTV -- this beats Walmarts best price on a 32" flat screen by $2.00 and is $180.00 off the original price.
- Also rumored are $3 appliances including a 12-cup coffee maker, sandwich maker, toaster and slow cooker.

Best Buy - Netbook deal $179.99; hot video game discounts:
- Compaq Netbook for $179.99. Netbooks are a very hot item this year.
- Madden 10 Video Game for $34.99 - PS3 or XBox - regularly $59.99. Other top video games at similar prices.


Toys R Us - Power Wheels Vehicles $59.99; Hot Wheels bundle $5.00:
- Power Wheels ride on vehicles. Choose from Barbie or a Boys' version $59.99 (40% off - originally $99.99). This is a 12 Midnight to 1pm Black Friday deal.
- Hot Wheels 10 car packs for $4.99 - that's 50% off and makes a great stocking stuffer.

Sears - Huge 50% off Tools Sale:
- Including many tools for under $10.

Old Navy - $15.00 Kids' Winter Coats:
Kids "Frost Free" Winter Coats for $15.00 - regularly $39.50 to $49.50.


Hot Links:
Black Friday Shopping Specials - A roundup of top Black Friday deals.
Black Friday Toolbar - Keep up with the latest Black Friday deals and news wherever you are on the web.

Free Shipping Offers ... Going, Going, Gone!
"Free" or "flat rate" offers are widely available this time of year and can be a make or break promotion for e-tailer and major mail order catalogs. Most free shipping offers do come with conditions, i.e., spend $50.00 to qualify. So, if you have two $25.00 items to purchase, you are better off finding a site where you can purchase both vs. spreading those purchases out over two sites or from two different catalogs and forgoing the shipping cost advantage. Amazon has changed the paradigm with it's PRIME program – for $79 a year you get Free Two-Day Shipping on more than one million in-stock items. The "All-You-Can-Eat" shipping equivalent. No minimum purchase required. If you order a lot throughout the year, this pays for itself quickly and is a tremendous convenience. It takes all the hesitation out of making small impulse buys (for better or worse!;)

Pounce Before Hot Items "Sell Out"
Sites tend to make the most changes overnight, when there is less traffic and it's less disruptive – think 6 am EST. You can sometimes beat other online shoppers to the punch by snapping up hot deals early in the morning, before they sell out. Some sites even indicate the "risk" of an item selling out as "high" or " low." For the most part, an online item is not yours until you actually checkout. It's NOT enough to have it in your shopping cart. A lot of folks get burned by this & are disappointed when they get to the end of the checkout process and find the item is "No Longer Available" or the availability date is suddenly weeks away when the item was initially listed as "In Stock." Given this reality, it's a smart idea to register with sites you shop at often. This can speed up the whole checkout process and guard against having someone pass you in the virtual checkout aisle.

Looking Ahead to Cyber Monday ...
If Black Friday doesn't produce the killer buy you are searching for, there's always Cyber Monday to look forward to. More to come on that, including the top Cyber Monday deals ... stay tuned for future posts.

It's a question we hear often: Are sites really offering good deals online now – or am I better off waiting until Black Friday or maybe even Cyber Monday to do my shopping? Truth is, there are Black Friday deals online right now and deal-spotting sites like WalletPop.com & GottaDeal.com have done a lot of the hunting around for shoppers, posting a links to Black Fridays deals already live and available online. These sales are many of the same ones you'll see in stores and online come Black Friday. For example, Sears.com is offering a 50" flat-screen HDTV for $699.99. This is the same deal rumored to be one of their Black Friday "early bird" specials.

Sale Mail (Email)
Retailer email newsletters or "Sale Mail" can also be valuable. In technology terms it's called having something "pushed" to you. So, instead of having to search for them, things like coupon codes and promo offers come to you. By the way, this can also pay dividends throughout the year, because they'll know your behavior and if you've identified yourself as a bargain shopper who takes advantages of coupons and promotions, they'll serve you up even more. If you purchase WITHOUT sales incentives, don't expect to top their list of people who get offered special deals. Essentially you've identified yourself as a full-price shopper & that's just fine with them!:)


Secret Sales
Then there are "secret" sales .... offers only VIPs get & signing up to receive newsletters can be a way to get in on that action or being "invited" to "members only" sales. Start-up designer sales sites like www.gilt.com are becoming increasingly popular. The sites market themselves as members-only shopping clubs.

We'll be talking HOT TOYS 2009 on MSNBC throughout the morning ... The overall trend is lower-price points. Surveys show parents of young kids are willing to forego almost anything, but delivering on a North Pole request. Walmart making it more practical. Last year, shocked the industry offering 10 popular toys at a $10 price point. They sold out. This year, they're upping the ante 10-fold, offering 100 toys for $10.

IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR ... CABBAGE PATCH DOLLS, TICKLE ME ELMO ... THIS YEAR ROBOTIC HAMPSTERS INITIALLY INTENDED TO BE LESS THAN $10!

The "must have" toys have emerged ... The first, indeed, Zhu Zhu Pet Hampsters ... They can't keep them on the shelf at Toys R Us. Currently being bid up Amazon at roughly 4X initial retail price: Appeals to both boys & girls + every parent who ever said no to the real thing or was faced with cleaning the cage. No wonder it's a hit. The only outstanding issue: can they live up to the hype? They're cute for a few minutes, but might not be as "real" as kids expect.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WANT YOUR GIFT TO REALLY STAND OUT ... WHAT'S YOUR BEST MOVE?

Something you can play that day. I call it the "12 noon mark" & the "3 pm deadline." Meaning did you start playing by 12 noon & do you still care by 3 pm? Let alone three weeks later ...

This one is destined to make the 12 noon mark: MIND FLEX. VIDEO: HERE

As for three weeks out, think timeless Beatles tunes to help make that PlayStation or Wii console in your basement make a comeback ....If the pattern holds, a lot of people wil sample it over the Thanksgiving Day w-end at home of relative & buy immediately thereafter.

DJ Hero is the big variable this year .... Remains to be seen whether consumer who shelled out hundreds of dollars last year for Guitar Hero consoles -- will spring for this too. Is certainly get rave reviews.

IS IT TRUE RETRO GAMES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK?

Sure & this reflects two trends: Nesting --- staying home & looking for stay-at-home entertainment (hence, the NetFlix, RedBox phenom) The ability for traditional brands to play into this sentiment is significant. Remember, it's a lot more expensive (takes advertising on-air & online) to build a new brand than resurrect a familiar name. Watch for Monopoly, Clue, Boggle to make a comeback with extensions -- mini versions to play in back seat of your car, digital versions for your laptop & phone ...

STOCKING STUFFERS CAN REALLY ADD UP ... HOW ARE PEOPLE WORKING AROUND THAT?

On the stocking stuffer side, you also see players like Dollar General leaning into same trend featuring nearly 200 toys priced at $5 or less. Shove some tissue paper in the bottom to get an over-filled effect.

IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO HAVE A LEANER CHRISTMAS, IS THAT A DISCUSSION YOU SHOUL D HAVE IN ADVANCE WITH YOUR KIDS?

Interestingly, this is a big debate. Depends on age of child. For tweens/teens, consensus is .... "yes." Err on side of managing expectations.

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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