I hate to admit it, but it’s time to order my holiday cards. While this can be at times a cumbersome task, this year I am actually excited about sending cards thanks to the wonderful site minted.com. They have such fun and different designs. Plus, the photos print on card stock, not on photo paper, which in my opinion makes them a little snazzier.

Besides holiday cards, you can also pick up great address labels, holiday invitations, minibook cards to give as small gifts, and cards that let everyone know what went on with your family in 2009 (and they’re 10% off through Nov. 23).

What I also love about this site is you can submit your designs to be sold on minted.com. Web users vote on your designs, and the grand-prize winner will get $500 and 5% of net sales of the products sold. Right now the site is taking designs for Valentines cards, so if you are computer and design savvy, I suggest you enter!

Posted by Dwyer Paulsen, Associate Style Editor

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Looking for budget gifts?  If you own an iPhone, check out the NearbyNow Holiday Gift Guide, featuring inexpensive gift ideas from All You.  Whether you’re shopping for your sweetie, kids or pets or searching for bargain-priced stocking stuffers, you’ll find the perfect present on your phone. See something you like? Simply tap the “Find Nearby” button to locate a store near you, or “Find Online” if you prefer to shop on the Web. The app is free; download it from iTunes and get ready to save!

Posted by Susan Spencer, Executive Editor

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Have you always wondered whether it’s a good idea to buy a membership to a discount club store? Good news: BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering a 60-day trial membership—for free! No surcharges, no strings. Simply activate your membership before Dec. 31, and get all the member benefits for free, just in time for the holidays. Click here, print out the coupon and bring it to your local BJ’s, then shop all you like.

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Posted by Beth Lipton, Food Editor

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Is it too early to start thinking about the holiday season? Maybe so, but if you can get yourself into Santa mode early this year, you stand to save a bundle by shopping at lillianvernon.com. They have more than 165 items marked down up to 70% — everything from ornaments and holiday decorating items to stocking stuffers to their signature personalized gifts. Click on over to lillianvernon.com/catalog to get started — and when everyone else has to brave the cold and the crowds on Black Friday, you can kick back and count your savings.

Posted by Beth Lipton, Food Editor

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Happy Halloween from All You!

Make sure to stay safe tonight and enjoy all the spooky festivities. For some post-Halloween clean-up, learn how to survive Halloween messes after all the haunting is over. Whether your front yard is covered in toilet paper or the leftover Halloween candy has made a mess of your coffee table, learn the best strategies for getting rid of the gunk.

Posted by Riley Tant, AllYou.com

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1 days until Halloween!

Now is time to get the final preparations in gear for your Halloween night. Make sure you have some festive music playing and create your own free custom playlist with our Halloween-themed suggestions.

Spend the night watching some scary Halloween movies like Interview with the Vampire or choose some more kid-friendly flicks like Harry Potter.

This weekend, make a low-cost Halloween dinner at home with these budget-friendly recipes.

Posted by Riley Tant, AllYou.com

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When you’re food-obsessed like I am, food signals everything. Spring is here when I see fresh green peas, asparagus and rhubarb at the market. Berries, peaches and nectarines mean it’s summer. And for autumn, it’s apples, pears and pumpkin. Usually around late September I start seeing canned pumpkin in my local supermarket’s baking aisle, and my mouth waters as I dream of pumpkin pancakes, muffins and, of course, pie. Best part: Canned pumpkin, aside from making delicious pies, is a great ingredient in soups, sauces and other dishes. It’s packed with vitamins and fiber and only costs about 40 cents for a half-cup serving.

If you’ve been having trouble finding those telltale orange-labeled cans of pumpkin lately, or you read a lot of food blogs, then you know that this year we’re facing a bit of a pumpkin shortage. I found a few cans in my supermarket and quickly snatched them up — but I’ve been hearing from other cooks around the country that they’re not seeing canned pumpkin at all. What’s a cook to do?

Don’t panic! I spoke with Roz O’Hearn, spokesperson for Libby’s, to get to the bottom of just how serious this shortage is. She assures me that there is now pumpkin coming into supermarkets all over the country. The early shortage happened because last year’s harvest was compromised by poor weather conditions, so the surplus that is used to get those first cans of pumpkin on store shelves wasn’t there. The pumpkin that’s in stores now is from this year’s harvest, which is now well under way.

Of course, this year’s weather hasn’t been great for the pumpkin harvest either, so we may face the same shortage next year — O’Hearn says it’s too soon to tell. But she said she expects there to be plenty of pumpkin for this year (and asked that folks not hoard it, as I did), so everyone who wants a pie at Thanksgiving should be able to get the pumpkin they need. What a relief!

For delicious, easy, budget-friendly pumpkin recipes, click here.

Posted by Beth Lipton, Food Editor

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I’m slowly but surely trying to build up my credit card rewards in time to cash out a nice bonus to help with holiday shopping. The other day I found a simple but incredibly effective tip. Use a credit card to pay all your monthly bills (only if you pay off the entire balance each month). Suddenly you’ll be racking up the rewards.

If you want to use your rewards for holiday shopping, make sure you cash in with enough time to be sent your rewards card, check or merchandise before the holiday.

Posted by Gillian Aldrich, Features Editor

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26 days until Halloween!

Don’t wait until the last minute to decide which new persona you will don for All Hallows Eve this year. Use this All You exclusive coupon from Buy Costumes to order your costume ahead of time. Buy Costumes is offering 10% off all orders. Just make sure to use this coupon code: SAVINGS10.

If you’re stumped trying to figure out the perfect costume, browse through our Halloween costume ideas for inspiration.

Don’t forget your furry friend will need a costume, as well! We found some of the cutest picture-worthy pet costumes, all from $10-$20.

Posted by Riley Tant, AllYou.com

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I’m notoriously bad with gift cards. If I don’t use them instantly I end up losing them and finding them years later after they’ve expired. Thank goodness for giftcardrescue.com, which lets users sell unused gift cards for cash, exchange gift cards for brand new gift cards of choice, or purchase gift cards at discounts of up to 50 percent off. What a great way to get some rewards for cards at stores I will never use. Even better is I can buy new gift cards for up to 50 percent off for myself, or people I need to get gifts for. What a great thing to keep in mind for the fast approaching holidays!

Posted by Dwyer Paulsen, Associate Style Editor

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Ease your financial stress

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Want to pitch in with friends or family on a big present for a loved one, but don’t want the financial risk of putting it on one credit card? Ease the pain by picking the gift, writing the card, collecting the money, and sending it to the recipient – all online. Check out edivvy.com, which lets you invite others to chip in online and track the amount of money your group has paid. Read more about edivvy.com on our Real Women Real Value blog!

Posted by Gillian Aldrich, Features Editor

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Mother’s Day is this weekend, so why not take mom out for a sweet treat? On Sunday, TCBY is offering a thank you to moms everywhere for their hard work by giving away free frozen yogurt!  There’s no ‘proof of motherhood’ required, simply stop by your local TCBY to pick up a free small cup or cone. Happy Mother’s Day!

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Posted by Jayna Maleri, Associate Food Editor

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Jackcards.com makes sure you never forget an important date again. All you have to do is join (membership is free!), upload your contacts and important dates, then pick out greeting cards from thousands of options for special days ranging from birthdays to holiday cards for each of your contacts. Jackcards.com will send the card to your address on the date you indicate, so you can personalize with your signature and send yourself. Cards cost $2.45 and up and the selection of cards is larger than your local card shop. Here are some of my favorites:

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Posted by Dwyer Paulsen, Associate Style Editor

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Looking to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but don’t want to splurge on dinner? Good news! T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants are serving up select five-cent appetizers with the purchase of a beverage from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 5. Visit tgifridays.com to find a location near you, and bring the family in for an inexpensive fiesta.

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Over the years I have accumulated a ton Easter decorations. I really don’t need any more, but I just can’t resist them, so I continue to buy. Here are my favorites this season, all under $10.

Bunny Egg Cup at Pier 1 Imports, $3

Essential Home Egg-Shaped Pot Mitt at Kmart, $2.49

Easter Paper Lanterns at Lillian Vernon, $9.98

Sparkling Egg & Berry Wreath, $8.98

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Posted by Dwyer Paulsen, Associate Style Editor

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Spring is in the air, which means it will be Easter before you know it! Ghirardelli is offering a sweet deal for early bunnies. Pretty Easter egg tins, filled with luscious chocolate squares (milk chocolate with caramel and dark chocolate with mint) are $6 apiece, but you can get more for less. Order 5 and save $4, order 10 and save $8, and so on. Visit shop.ghirardelli.com for details.

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Posted by Beth Lipton, Food Editor

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What’s better than a snack? How about a FREE snack that’s really tasty and has only 90 calories?  Quaker will send you a free 90-calorie pack of mini rice cake snacks in either Cheddar Cheese or Chocolately Drizzle flavor. Even if you’re not a rice cake fan, I definitely recommend giving these a try. I’ve had a taste of both and they’re delicious.

If you’re feeling particularly charitable, you can give a snack to someone else. Fairytale Brownies is offering 10 percent off on a box of 24 bite-size brownies, specially wrapped for St. Patrick’s Day. You get 6 each of plain, caramel, chocolate chip and walnut flavors, for $27.80, and shipping is free. Yum!

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Posted by Beth Lipton, Food Editor

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Looking to fill your Easter baskets with more meaningful presents this year? Get 20 percent off of spring photo cards, stickers and notebooks from Snapfish.com with coupon cope SPRING09 (code expires March 8). Just upload your favorite picture and get started designing your own gifts.

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Posted by Emily Hendricks, Relationships Editor

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Running short on time and money? Here are some sweet Valentine treats that will treat your sweetheart—and your pocket book—right:

Tasty Chocolates
Lake Champlain Chocolates is offering specials on 2 of their Valentine’s gifts. Give your sweetheart 24 bite-size squares of milk and dark chocolate, wrapped in red and hot pink and tied up with a bow—usually $14, but on sale now for $10. Or choose the 9-piece box, with each square wrapped with a message such as “be mine” or “love,” for $6.50 (usually $8.50).

Not Just Plain-Old Vanilla
Does your loved one prefer vanilla to chocolate? Treat them to hand-dipped vanilla shortbread cookies with L, O, V and E artfully stenciled on, $20 for a pretty wooden gift box of 8.

Homemade Treats
If you prefer to make your own gifts, Wilton.com has every kind of cookie cutter, cake decorating tool, colored sugar or cupcake liner you could possibly need. Our favorite this year? A giant heart-shaped cookie pan (it’s 11 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches, and works with any recipes that fit in a 13-by-9-inch pan) for $7.50.

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Posted by Beth Lipton, Food Editor

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If you’d rather save your pennies than spend them on red roses and chocolates this Valentine’s Day, you’re not alone. Given these grim economic times, many Americans may have less money in their pockets to play cupid this Valentine’s Day. But keeping St. Valentine’s spirit alive this February 14th doesn’t have to break the bank. Instead of an expensive night out, try one of these affordable date ideas:

Have a steakhouse dinner—at home. Pick up some flank steaks (a cheaper but still yummy cut) and grill or broil them (but don’t cook them past medium-rare–otherwise, they’ll get too tough). Try an enchanting London broil with horseradish sauce. Add mashed potatoes and veggies and you’re set! The meal will feel decadent but you’ll be saving a lot of cash by cooking at home.

Go out early. Many restaurants raise their prices for a “special” Valentine’s Day dinner menu. Skip it and go out to breakfast or lunch on the 14th instead. You’ll have alone time together without the extra cost.

Have fun in the kitchen. Whip up a batch of our red velvet cupcakes, or bake brownies and use a cookie cutter to create heart-shaped treats. (Store the extra brownie bits in the freezer and them use to top ice cream sundaes later.) Then, jazz the brownies up with ice cream, chocolate or strawberry syrup, red and white sprinkles, raspberries or even Red Hots.

Volunteer together. Spend the day spreading the love to your community? Donate your time at a soup kitchen, food bank or other charitable organization. Helping others will make you’ll feel good—and that will bring you closer to each other.

Give him gas money. Don’t go all out buying your husband expensive clothes, tools or DVDs. Almost 50 percent of men (and 41 percent of women) say this year they would prefer a practical or useful gift such as money towards bills, gas (such as Exxon or Shell) or other financial needs, as opposed to more traditional presents like chocolates or dinner out.

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Posted by Emily Hendricks, Relationships Editor

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