Two can play at this game; you just have to know the rules. Here are my favorite tricks for sticking it to the retailers who try so often to squeeze every penny they can out of us.

• Saying NO to the Extended Warrantee

Why? According to Consumer Reports products seldom breakdown within the Extended Warrantee time frame and when they do the repair cost is equal to the warrantee cost. A number of credit card companies provide warrantees on products purchased on their cards, use them, you�re already paying for it.

• Opening a store Credit Card for the discount only to cut it up

Why? The credit card company can only make money if there is activity on the card. They can�t charge you interest if you never charge anything.

• Buying only 1 when there�s a 2 for $5 special

Why? First, why should I buy 2 when I only need 1? Second, my mother always warned me you can go broke saving money.

• Buying Seasonal items on clearance after the Season (for next year)

Why? The store is counting on you needing the seasonal item before the holiday or event. Works out in your favor if you don’t need the item until they’re clearing out for the next season when things are 90% off.

There are more tricks like this you can check out at The Consumerist.

Sometimes there should just be a fast, simple way to do things without paying a fortune for a piece of software.  I needed a way to get all the file names from a folder on my computer into simple text format and didn’t want to bother doing it by Windows command line.  In searching the web for something to do this fast and easily for me, I came across two great sites that offer freeware applications.  Take a gander, you may find something to help you accomplish a mundane task just a little bit faster.

• http://no-nonsense-software.com/freeware/
• http://www.econsultant.com/i-want-freeware-utilities/index.html

Both offer some premium versions of the software, usually with more robust options and that usually cost under $20, so if you like it, support your software programmers.