Borders: 20% off any item.

It's time for another Borders in-store coupon, this one for 20% off the list price of any item. It's good through September 8, so click "Print" and head to your nearest store!

Search with Swagbucks, get free stuff!

I've been saving this post for a slow freebie day, and that day appears to have come, so here we are: my (non-compensated) plug for Swagbucks. If you haven't heard of it, it's a search engine much like Google - in fact, it aggregates results from Google and Ask - except that when you use it, it randomly spits out "swagbucks" awards, which can be redeemed for gift cards and prizes!

Based on my unofficial research, it looks to me like your second search of the day "randomly" awards you some bucks. So if nothing else, sign in each morning and search for two things until you get your $1, $2, $3 or more award, and then call it a day. But it's actually a decent search engine, and it does continue to reward you throughout the day. There's also a random hourly winner each hour. Generally, you'll make about 3 Swagbucks a day, and 45 Swagbucks will earn you a $5 Amazon gift certificate. OK, so it's not going to replace your day job, but you might as well be earning while you search, right?

And if you join through the referral link I'm providing here, I get a wee bonus of Swagbucks, which is kind of nice for me. But even if you don't want to help a sister out, consider using a search engine that gives you rewards for using it and looking at their advertising.

Free Kashi cereal sample.

This offer says you can choose your "surprisingly tasty cereal" sample, but actually, I'm not that surprised... I've found Kashi cereals and snack bars to be pretty darn good overall, and good for you. Now if it said "surprisingly cheap cereal," that would indeed startle me, because you do pay a bit of a premium for the good stuff. But the sample is free, so that's a price even I can afford.

Final Free Chocolate Friday?

I admit, I haven't been keeping great track of how long this promotion has, because I've been awash in free chocolate all summer. But if you haven't yet claimed your four free coupons per household, get on it! Maybe you don't like free chocolate, but I bet you know someone who does.

Spend $100 at Cost Plus, get... a free companion ticket?

This is such a counterintuitive freebie offer that I almost don't believe it's real, even though I'm looking at the official Cost Plus website. The deal is, you spend $100 at Cost Plus's website today, August 28, and tomorrow, you'll receive a confirmation email telling you how to book your BOGO flight reservation. I don't know, I just don't get the connection. Buy a new fridge and get a dentist's chair for free! Buy 50 lbs. of hair and get a Cinnabon for free!

As you might expect, there are the inevitable restrictions. You have to make your $100 purchase today, and then the free companion ticket offer is only good for the next 30 days. It's valid on 19 airlines, going to 107 cities, but you both have to be on the same flight and it has to be round-trip. So if you were planning on going somewhere anyway and the cost of the ticket would be more than $100 per person, you'll come out ahead - and have some handmade artisanal home decor, too. But make sure you read the fine print before splurging on that fainting couch you've been eyeing.

September 1 is Tulle's Day.

If you haven't checked out Tulle's website, you're missing out on tons of super-cute dresses, skirts, and coats with a girly, swingy, overhauled-vintage style. I've bought two coats from them so far and I love them both (even when Sarah Palin bit my style last fall and I had to put the short red mini-trench away for a few months).

They always have a sale section, but I just got word that September 1 is Tulle's Day, during which they'll have sweaters for $6.99, tops for $5.99, pants for $7.99, skirts for $6.99, and dresses and jackets for $8.99. I've seen things here for 90% off, which is an amazing deal even with the somewhat high shipping. Sizes tend to run small, so order up if you actually have a Mad-Men-esque figure. Summer, schmummer, let's get ready for fall!

Borders Super Coupon returns!

Hoo-ah, it's the prodigal Borders Super Coupon! This time around, it contains:

• $2 off one fiction book
• $10 off a hardcover over $35
• $10 off a computer book
• $5 off 2 kids' books
• $5 off a biography or history book, CD or DVD over $10, or messenger bag/tote
• Buy a bag of coffee, get a free small beverage

OK, so I guess none of those is really THAT exciting, but still... Super Coupon!!1!

Seattleites: Free Brown Bear car wash today!

Hot off the presses: Seattleites can head to their local Brown Bear car wash today, August 27, for a FREE car wash from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Click here for a list of participating locations... there are only two in Seattle, so you may want to head to one of the three Renton ones to beat the lines. Take that freshly cleaned car for a spin!

(Thanks, Pamela!)

Free Cheesecake Factory cheesecake for soup.

The Cheesecake Factory, perpetrators of shockingly giant portions, are understandably concerned about hunger. They don't want anybody to be hungry, ever, not when there are so many delicious and inexpensive calories just floating around! So they're having a Drive Out Hunger Tour, in which you bring two cans of soup and get a free slice of Stefanie's Red Velvet Cheesecake.

The tour doesn't come to Washington, alas, and looks to be settled solidly in the Cheesecake Belt, but if you're one of the lucky stops on the list, ransack your pantry and get your chicken 'n' stars ready!

Free Fancy Feast Appetizer "for your cat."

I just saw these advertised in a magazine, and thought it looked pretty ridiculous. A glamorous, put-together city girl is dreamily embracing her googly-eyed Persian, thinking about the special times they'll share together on their hott crazy-cat-lady at-home date.

If you've given up on relationships and married your cat, or you just like furtively eating chicken and seafood in a delicate broth out of a small plastic package, sign up for your free sample appetizer. Your "cat" will thank you.

Free lip balm sphere from Eos.

I'd say lip-balm manufacturers have been pretty crafty as far as coming up with new flavors, colors, glittery additives, and fun plastic shapes to keep your interest piqued in a product that, essentially, you don't really need. But EOS is convinced they've taken it a step further by making - wait for it - a lip balm sphere.

I was actually willing to purchase one of these when I first heard about it, because they look interesting, have organic ingredients, etc., but couldn't find any in stores here. Now I don't have to bother, because they're giving away 50,000 free spheres! These normally retail for about $5, so it's a darn good freebie, if you ask me.

Sign up quick, these will go fast! Join the spherical moisturizing revolution!

Free Forgiveness Taco at Taco Del Mar.

I have to hand it to the folks at Taco Del Mar, they do seem to keep coming up with clever ways to make the same old one-free-taco offer seem fresh and fun. This time it's the Taco of Forgiveness campaign, in which you send someone an e-card apologizing for some damn fool thing you did, and it sends them a printable coupon for a free taco. Of forgiveness.

No benefit to you except good karma, unless of course you subvert the whole point of the thing by sending one to yourself. Then again, depending on what you were up to last weekend, you may indeed have some self-apologizing to do. And nothing says "sorry" like a taco.

The coupon is good on August 27 only (that's tomorrow), so get repenting!

Free shipping at Old Navy with any purchase.

Free shipping at Old Navy? Yes, it's true! Use coupon code SHIPFREE, good through August 26, 2009. No minimum purchase required, if my sources are correct, so you can have them ship you a pair of socks if you really, really want to.

Bikini Sale Flights at JetBlue.

JetBlue is advertising a Bikini Sale, which seems to mean discounts on sunny destinations before summer's over. Book by August 26 for travel between September 8 and November 18, $29-149.

Sorry, Seattleites, we're not part of this promotion, so don't even bother browsing the sale... unless you want to convince out-of-towners to come visit YOU.

Free reusable bag from Chi-Chi's.

Chi-Chi's is evidently a maker of Mexican food products, and they are offering free reusable totes when you purchase two of their items. Or at least when you type in two 11-digit UPC codes on their online form.

On a completely unrelated note, did you know that my lucky numbers are 43354007202 and 37600282253? Yeah, I know it sounds strange, but they do seem to come in handy sometimes.

Free bag of Halls cough drops.

(Courtesy of HeyItsFree.net.)

"If you don’t mind taking a short survey, you can get a printable coupon for a free bag of HALLS drops or hard candy, up to $2.29.

Copy and paste the link below into your browser and then fill in your name and e-mail before hitting enter. The info you provide will be printed on the coupon, so unless your legal name is FIRSTNAME LASTNAME, you’ve got some typing to do."

http://survey.gethalls.com/survey.aspx?fn=FIRSTNAME&ln=LASTNAME&e=email@address.com

Free 99-cent Hallmark card.

Print this coupon and take it to your local Hallmark Gold Crown store (don't ask me what that means) for a free 99-cent card. That may sound like a bit of an oxymoron, but I think what they mean is that you may choose a free card from any of those which are normally sold for 99 cents.

Anyway, it's a deal, so get a head start on those Labor Day cards! You do send out Labor Day cards, right?

16 free Harlequin romance downloads.

In honor (ha ha) of Harlequin's 60th anniversary, Barnes & Noble is offering 16 free romance novel downloads for your reading pleasure. Yeah, I'm not sure how that works either... I guess "sixteen" sounds like "sixty," or something?

I'm partial to the jowly Steve Gutenberg lookalike juggling two bundles of joy on the cover of Baby Bonanza, but who can resist the cozy appeal of Snowbound? Fortunately, I don't have to choose! I think I'll download them all and officially start letting myself go.

BOGO Sharpie 5-packs and 8-packs at Office Max.

It's another Sharpie coupon from Office Max! This time it's BOGO 5-packs and 8-packs, and you can mix-and-match colors and styles. They were pretty cool about honoring the last one, so I think you're all set if you want to drop in and stock up on your permanent marker needs for the next few years.

Free Chik-Fil-A sandwich to the first 250,000.

Oh boy, it's another free fast-food promotion... I'm sure nothing will go wrong with this, since they all seem to work so smoothly and flawlessly. Chik-Fil-A is introducing something called a Chicken Wave, and you can be one of the 250,000 to receive a free one when you register online.

Thankfully, there are no Chik-Fil-As in Washington, so I don't even have to be tempted against my better judgment to be part of this particular fast-food freeasco. But you sure can!

Two Michaels coupons for artistes.

Artistes and crafters, you're going to love these coupons from Michaels... one is the usual 40% off one item coupon, and then there's another one for 45% off your entire purchase of paints, pencils, pastels, and markers. Stock up for that nude figure drawing class you keep meaning to take! Or, um, if you just want to draw cartoon animals at home.

Free empty tin that you can put almonds in.

Yeah, I don't quite get it either, but this is an offer for a free almond tin. Not a tin filled with almonds, but a tin that you yourself can purchase almonds to put in.

I guess the idea here is that the tin is perfectly sized for one portion of nuts, so you can take them with you in a fashion-forward way. And the tin is actually pretty cute. If you were thinking that it looks hauntingly similar to an Altoids tin, get that thought RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HEAD. This is an ALMOND TIN. For ALMONDS. And only ones from California, at that.

Free Chocolate Friday: ending soon!

I know, I know, Free Chocolate Friday is hardly news, but believe it or not, the free chocolate won't last forever, so I urge you to go and sign up for your full four-coupon allotment per household if you haven't done so already.

I've been particularly pleased with the Dove Almond and Dove Peanut Butter flavors, though my skinny jeans have not. But there's plenty of time to worry about that in fall, when we can start wearing layers again.

Free taco from Del Taco with any purchase.

Del Taco seems to be fairly generous with the coupons... I don't eat there myself, but I notice a regular parade of coupons around the Interwebs from them. Here's the latest in a series: get a free taco with any purchase.

OK, so it's not as good as Taco Tuesdays at Jack in the Box, but then again, maybe Del Taco has a slight edge in the Mexican-fast-food-cuisine game.

Free full-size body scrub at Victoria's Secret.

Victoria's Secret has a new fragrance called Sweet Daydream that actually sounds kind of nice. Something about a whimsical mix of juicy apple, crisp raspberry, and warm vanilla. Those are all things I like to shove in my face, so they should be good on my skin too, right?

With any in-store purchase, bring in this email and get a free full-size body scrub in Sweet Daydream. Yum!

Borders: 40% off all DVD box sets.

I can always rely on Borders to come through for me on a slow freebie day, and here we are with another coupon. Save 40% off ALL DVD box sets, which is, you know, a pretty good deal actually. I just happen to have a Borders gift card burning a hole in my hot little hand, so it might be time to pay a visit to my local bookstore... for TV on DVD, that is.

Seattleites: Free outdoor movie at U-Village, August 26.

Since we've been having such unusually warm weather here, what better way to cool off of an evening than to head to your favorite ritzy open-air shopping experience for a free outdoor movie?

The U-Village mall will be showing "Grease" at sundown on August 26, about 8:30 pm, in the space next to Pottery Barn and (one of the four) Starbucks. Bring your beach blanket and low-back chair for comfy seating. There are also a few events going on before the show, including:

• The first 250 people at the event will receive U Village swag bags with fun items from various merchants and sponsors.
• Costume Contest - Win $100 U Village gift card for the best Grease costume!
  Dance Contest - Win $100 U Village gift card for best dance determined by our professional dance judges!
• Enter-to-win a $100 U Village gift card for a Back-to-School shopping spree!
• Anyone who attends will receive the Sweet Deals Shopping Card that will have discounts and special offers valid Wednesday, August 26 through Sunday, August 30 to get you started with your back to school shopping!

This is their first free outdoor movie event, so head on down there and cheer them on for trying to bring some free fun to summer. And I want to know what's in those free swag bags, too.

$5 off your $10 purchase at Ulta.

Time to stock up on those essential back-to-school beauty supplies? Ulta is here to help with a 50% discount off a purchase of $10 or more. Use coupon code 38354, good through October 9, 2009. Aaaand the list of exclusions is here.

They usually have some pretty good deals and sales running, but the shipping is always outrageous, so this would basically make shipping mostly free. Sadly, this seems to be online-only, so you can't cut out the middleman and ship it directly from the store to your car.

Borders: Buy any book, get one 50% off.

Please try to control your excitement... it's another Borders coupon. Yes, really! I don't know what their strategy is with this constant parade of ever-changing coupons, but it's a lot to keep up with, frankly. Well, at least it gives me something to post every single day.

This time, when you buy one book, you get 50% off the second. Hooray!

Free travel-size lip gloss.

Ladies, you may know Sugar cosmetics, makers of super-adorable little lip gloss sets and other junk. If you get on their mailing list, you'll receive a "surprise gift," which evidently is a travel-sized lip gloss.

I'll let you know if I get anything awesomely moisturizing, with just a hint of sheer color, in my mailbox in 6-8 weeks.

Seattleites: free organic produce at the "mobile market."

Seattleites, check out the Delridge "mobile market" and get free organic produce as it travels around town spreading the word about fruits and veggies.

"The co-op — launched this year with a $15,000 grant from the city of Seattle — aims to educate residents about adding green to their diets by seeking out fresh produce. The co-op eventually hopes to become a nonprofit produce purveyor and open a permanent store."

Find them at these locations for the rest of summer, and contact them if you're interested in volunteering or donating.

Fridays (Aug. 21, 28 and Sept. 4) from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Watts Electric Service, 9050 Delridge Way S.W.

Saturdays (Aug. 22, 29 and Sept. 5) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Care A Lot Daycare, 6535 Delridge Way S.W.

Sundays (Aug. 23, 30 and Sept. 6) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Delridge P-Patch, in the 5000 block of Delridge Way S.W.

Mondays (Aug. 24, 31 and Sept. 7) from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way S.W.

Free ruler, erasers, and crayons with $10 Office Depot purchase.

The school supply wars rage on... Office Depot's latest attack is giving you a free ruler, free package of pencil-topper erasers, and free crayons with a $10 purchase. If you look further on in the ad, there's a lot of 99-cent specials, including some cute little mini pens that I might want to get... they're really good for purses, carry-on bags, etc.

Free 1-year subscription to Spin magazine, courtesy of Lollapalooza.

Remember SPIN magazine? Yeah, me neither, but apparently it was relevant once, and now you can get it for free in your mailbox, thanks to Lollapalooza 2010 (another thing I thought had gone out of business long ago).

It doesn't look like there's any strings attached, so go for it, music lovers!

Free Emergen-C samples. Yes, again.

I know, I know, I'm like a broken record with these Emergen-C samples... but it's because they do them all the time, and they're always generous with their free samples, and Emergen-C is pretty tasty and good for you. In fact, I think I'm going to break one out of my desk drawer stash RIGHT NOW and make sure I have my recommended daily intake of vitamins today.

This time they're pushing their cherry-pomegranate flavor and breast cancer pink lemonade, so even if you've tried the usual flavors before, this is new and different! And also free!

Borders: 30% off the list price of one item.

Another day, another Borders coupon... this one is for 30% off the list price of any one item, which is not bad. I enjoyed the "super coupons" of earlier this summer, so I will be holding out for those, but a discount's a discount if you need to complete your set of Twilight books or something.

Buy Starbucks in the a.m., get a $2 drink in the p.m.

Wow, that was hard to condense down into a catchy headline. This offer is something called the "Treat Receipt" (scroll down to the bottom). When you make any purchase before 2:00 p.m., you can get any Grande cold beverage for $2 (plus tax) after 2:00 p.m. the same day, when you show your receipt.

The offer lasts until September 28 at participating stores, but enjoy it now, while it's still warm enough outside to make a Grande cold beverage a desirable thing.

When I say "Hillshire," you say "free lunch tote."

Yeah, I guess that doesn't sound quite as catchy as the original tagline. But still, you can get a free lunch tote when you purchase three Hillshire Farms meat products in one transaction, now through October 15.

That's a lot of meat to buy all at once, but I guess if you have room in your freezer or a really hungry cat or something, it's a pretty good deal. I'm in the market for an insulated lunch tote myself right now, so I can appreciate the freebie.... just not 24 oz of sliced deli meat.

Free Chocolate Friday!

It's free chocolate Friday, and that is all I have to say about that. Get your free chocolate coupon! I've been sampling the Dove Almond and peanut butter bars, and they're... pretty darn good. Particularly when they're free.

Free juicer.

At last, a healthy freebie... sign up here for your sassy orange free juicer. What with all these free salty snacks and chocolate bars and fast-food coupons flying around, it's nice to know that at least a couple of the freebie offers out there involve eating things that actually appear on the food pyramid.

Free Starbucks Vivanno.

Have you had one of Starbucks' Vivanno smoothies? They're not my favorite smoothie in the world, but they're not bad. And they're even better when they're free.

The coupon does print out kind of weird, on two pages, so it's possible your barista may look askance at it. But it does have a ring code and instructions for the cashier on there, so... could be worth a shot, right?

Borders: 40% off the list price of a paperback.

Seriously, Borders, you guys have so many coupons flying around... either there are three separate marketing departments that have no idea what anyone else is doing, or you just want to snow customers with such a flurry of discounts and deals that they don't know which end is up.

Well, after you've gotten your free cookie at Borders, swing by the paperback rack and get 40% off a paperback. It's good through August 16, so you can plan a weekend visit - you'll definitely need something to curl up on the couch with if you live in Seattle, because clearly nobody is going outside this weekend.

Free Nature Valley granola bar samples.

Yeah, Nature Valley! As it happens, I just bought some of these delicious crunchy granola bars (roasted almond flavor), so I feel entitled to my free sample. Get a free trail mix bar (they're good) plus some granola clusters when you sign up for their newsletter.

I'm feeling a bit wacky today, so I think I'll be completing all forms with novelty joke names. It'll also help for tracking who they sell my name to later on.

Borders: Buy a beverage, get a free cookie.

Well, Borders, this is slightly better... it's not the free drink coupon I really wanted, but you're getting warmer. Buy a 20-oz beverage and get a free cookie with this coupon, through August 16. Perhaps today is the day to slip out of the office and treat yourself to a coffee/cookie break?

(P.S. Go for the coffee-break gold and get a trashy paperback for 40% off!)

All-you-can-fly for $599 with Jet Blue.

So this is a new kind of promotion - at least, I've never seen anything like it before. JetBlue is running an "all you can fly" special: you pay $599 and fly as much as you want from September 8 to October 8, 2009.

There are a few catches, but mostly (it seems) just to prevent system abuse. You need to be a member of their miles program, and if you're a no-show on any of your scheduled flights, they suspend your pass and you have to pay a $100 "I'm a jerk" fee. You can only book one flight per city per day, three or more days in advance, but you can change/cancel flights for free until three days before your flight.

It sounds like potentially a pretty great deal, especially if you were already planning on taking a trip during that time and could apply those funds toward your pass. Of course, you need to live near an airport that JetBlue services, and there aren't that many. And it says the pass is good for "any available seat," which makes me think they set aside a certain number of seats per flight for this offer and no more, so you might want to check availability before committing. But if you don't have anywhere in particular to be during September, this could be your way of stamping the biggest damn carbon footprint of your life across America's pretty face.

Borders: Extra 20% off your purchase - combines with other offers.

Yes, yes, another 20% off Borders coupon... I know, it's nothing to get that excited about. Although this one does have the added appeal of being combinable with other promotions and offers. You heard me right - a stackable Borders coupon! Now when are they going to bring back the free-drink coupons I love so much?

2 free Omega To-Go samples.

I'm totally a fan of these individual packets of drink-mix powder... the madness started with Starbucks' VIA instant coffee, and now I'll drink anything that comes in a cute little packet - if I'm not tipping it out onto a mirror and snorting it, that is.

Sign up for your two free samples of Omega To-Go and Berrie Crush, which sound like they have some hippie health benefits, and may possibly be delicious as well. Only one way to find out - bottoms up!

Borders: Buy 2 books/calendars, get 3rd free.

Borders has an online-only offer this week: buy 2 books or calendars and get the 3rd free. It says ALL books and calendars, so I'm assuming you can get, say, 2 books and 1 calendar, if that's what you want to do. If you're buying 2010 calendars in August 2009, though, I salute you. That is more organization than even I can muster.

Use promotion code SLX8209H to make the magic happen.

Boston Market BOGO.

I can't say I'm much of a fan of the Boston Market (which has to do with a Certain Incident I experienced during one of my only visits there, years ago), but just in case you are, you can print this coupon for a BOGO meal deal. It's good through August 27, so you can get all the pot roast and rotisserie chicken or whatever that your heart desires.

Reading material - Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture.

Well, this just sounds like a fascinating book. If I may quote Publishers Weekly, "[T]his wide-ranging book... argues that the American drive toward bargain-hunting and low-price goods has a hidden cost in lower wages for workers and reduced quality of goods for consumers."

Here's an excerpt, posted on Alternet.org, about outlet malls.

Fittingly enough, there are 147 thrifty souls ahead of me in line at the library for this one, but if you just can't wait to get your hands on it, it's available in hardcover now.

Free Taco Tuesday II at Jack in the Box - today!

Step right up for your free Taco Tuesday coupon, ladies and gentlemen... and swing by your local Jack in the Box to claim your two free tacos. No purchase necessary!

Free fries and drink when you buy a McD's Angus Third Pounder.

Personally, I think the phrase "third pounder" sounds a little... unsavory, and not something to make the linchpin of an ad campaign. BUT McDonald's and I will have to agree to disagree on promotional strategies and clever catchphrases. Anyway, you can get a free medium fries and medium soft drink or tea with the purchase of any Angus Third Pounder coupon here.

Make sure to print it out the first time the coupon shows up, because if you go back to the same URL, the coupon is gone and you're taken to a landing page on your subsequent visits.

You have been warned! You may proceed to enjoy your 5.33 oz of delicious quality meat.

Free caffeinated soap.

Hmmm... this online storefront looks a little jankety, but they're offering free samples of caffeinated soap, which sounds like a good idea to me. It would really cut down on my morning routine to be able to ingest my daily dose of caffeine directly through my pores.

Sign up and be one of the first 4,000 to get yours!

Free sample of Nutland Crunch.

Another entry to file under "bizarro salty snack sample"...here's something called Nutland Crunch, and you can get a free sample of the stuff by signing up. Actually, it looks kind of good, although you don't get to choose your flavor, so GOD KNOWS WHAT they will send you. It could be some shredded paper from their recycling, it could be some dusty dried-up pens from the back of their supply drawer... you just don't know. And that's what makes it such a thrill.

$10 off $20 at Oriental Trading Company.

Planning a themed party that will require elaborate decorations, novelty cups and plates, or glow sticks? Or perhaps you just really need to stock up on butter mints decorated with Bible verses. Oriental Trading Company understands, and they want to float you a discount: $10 off $20!

Coupon code: ST1019730, Exp: 08/13/09.

Free Somersaults sea salt snacks.

I love salty snacks, and if they're sea salt snacks, why, so much the better! Sign up for your free sample of these strangely unappealing-looking snacks. Made from such hippieish items as chicory root fiber, evaporated cane juice, whole wheat flour, and sunflower oil, these snacks are guaranteed to, um, be different from anything you've tried before?

I signed up for them just to see, so I'll let you know how they are!

Free Dog Food Saturdays, starting 8/22.

This promotion seems aimed squarely at the coveted yet elusive "crazy dog lady" demographic... you know, the ones who have nothing better to do from 9:00 am to midnight on a Saturday then auto-refresh this page trying to get a free gourmet entree for their doggie.

There are 1,500 available every Saturday from 9:00 am-11:59 EST, from 8/22 to 10/10, limit 2 per customer. Actually, looking at the names of some of these dishes (steak tips and spinach over brown rice?), I think the Cesar dog may eat better than I do. Maybe I should get a couple "for my dog."

Free Office Depot backpack with $10 purchase.

Back-to-school is getting serious now, and you'll need something to stuff all those freebie school supplies in... so how about a free backpack? That is, free with your $10 purchase at Office Depot. The sale is good through August 15 and you can get two per household, but "quantities are limited," which suggests you should hustle down there if you want to double up.

The backpacks normally retail for $4.99, so they're probably not the greatest, but Kids Today don't take care of their stuff anyway. Why, when I was young, we used a STICK for a backpack! And we liked it!

Taco Tuesday II: The Reckoning.

Jack in the Box is bringing Taco Tuesday back next week on August 11. Two free tacos when you print out this coupon and take it to your local participating store!

I wonder, do the hobos know about this? And do they have computers with Internet access and printers? Perhaps I should run off a stack of copies and walk among them, pressing coupons into their unwashed, gnarled hands. That counts as a good deed, doesn't it?

Free sample of Kotex Overnight pads.

Can I just say that I've seen this ad campaign in some of my ladies' magazines before, and I HATE it. Ugh. Look at that ratty-looking bobble-headed chicken-legged woman! She looks like a stray cat with its bones surgically removed. Even worse, the ad is supposedly an illustrated guide of the uncomfortable yoga-esque poses one assumes when wearing inadequate hygienic supplies, so you have to look at this creature in all manner of unpleasant sprawled positions. GROSS.

But anyway, you can get a free sample of her very own, new-and-improved Kotex Overnight pads. Who knows, maybe your head will grow three sizes too.

Free coffee Freddo at Peet's, 2 to 3 pm today.

Man, I wish there were a Peet's near my work, because I'd like to get a free coffee Freddo this afternoon between 2:00 and 3:00 pm. Even though the name is stupid, I could overlook it.

But no! They insist on tormenting me by not having a convenient location. "Discover the rich taste of freshly brewed coffee, creamy milk and natural ingredients, perfectly blended with ice." Well I'd LIKE to, but I can't. THANKS A LOT, PEET'S.

But maybe you can.

It's Free Chocolate Friday, you know.

I realize we all have free chocolate coupons stacked to the ceiling by now, but believe it or not, the free candy will eventually run out, so you may as well get 'em while you can.

Free dog sleeping bag!

Free dog sleeping bag!
Free dog sleeping bag!
FREE DOG SLEEPING BAG!
Free dog sleeping bag!

I mean... what more do you need to know?

(This is a smallish bag, "for smaller dogs like dachshunds or small terriers," but I have found that many small pets, especially rodents, love these cozy caves too! Just a thought.)

$1 off $1 Sharpie highlighters = free.

Think of it as a back-to-school math lesson: If Sharpie highlighters cost $1, and you print this $1 off coupon, how much do the highlighters cost? FREE, that's how much.

Evidently CVS, Office Depot, and perhaps Target have the Sharpie highlighters on sale for $1 right now, so when you wield the power of this coupon, they become free. The coupon is on page 2... right under the $2 off Bagel Bites coupon! Double score!

Free foot relief sample from Aveda, too.

Wow, Aveda's been a bunch of busy bees with the free offers lately! In addition to their free hand lotion sample, they're now offering a coupon for free foot lotion too. You can find your closest store here, but Seattleites are particularly spoiled for options - there's a downtown one, a Capitol Hill one, and a U-district one, and probably more, too.

I'm guessing you can't use both coupons at once, so unfortunately you will only be able to relieve one set of appendages at a time. Sorry, that's just how it goes.

Free makeover and free 8x10 from Glamour Shots.

Oh yeah, I'm talking about THAT Glamour Shots. I never got to do these back when I was young enough that it actually seemed like a good idea (well into my unicorn/sticker album/Lisa Frank stage), but now I can recapture my lost youth with a free glamourizing session and free 8"x10" photo! Plus a free digital version of your picture.

The "session" includes:

• Airbrush Makeover Hairstyling
• 3-4 wardrobe changes
• Slideshow presentation

I thought I had read somewhere that Glamour Shots and its ilk were reinventing themselves as creepy "boudoir" (i.e., NAKED) photography studios, but all the women on this page look fully clothed and one of them is a child, soooo maybe my information is wrong. Anyway, if you've been wanting to surprise your special someone with 5 lbs of makeup and a popped-collar Bedazzled denim jacket, here's your big chance.

40% off one item at Borders.

A ha! Twenty percent, SCHMENTY PERCENT. Borders has taught us that patience is rewarded... by better coupons. Here we have one for 40% off the list price of one item (not just books), good through August 9.

I was going to get myself a little something, but my dad's b-day is coming up pretty soon, and it would be like an extra gift on top of the gift if he knew I got it for 40% off, so I should probably get something for him. Any ideas for a dad gift? Leave 'em in the comments?

$20 off $100 at Endless.com.

Endless knows you need new shoes for back-to-school... whether you're a student or not. That's why they're offering $20 off a $100 purchase of qualifying shoes. Search keyword "bts2009" for qualifying products, or look for "Special Offer" in red under the Overview section when you're looking at shoes.

I've had my eye on this hot little number in red for a long time now, but I waited too long and they sold out of my size. Don't make my mistake! Save while the savin's good.

Two 2009 Entertainment Books for $10!

I knew this day would come, and here we are: Entertainment.com is desperate to unload their 2009 books to make room for the 2010 edition, so they're selling them at 2 for $10. THIS IS A BARGAIN, PEOPLE. You know I talk about these all the time, what a great deal they are, how using just one BOGO museum/zoo admission pays for the $15 book, blah blah blah, but this is an even better price!

You say you already have one? But consider this! If there's just one coupon in there that you know you'll use - say, a BOGO entree at a restaurant you frequent - you've paid back the cost of the book instantly, and you get another set of the coupons you've already used. At two for $10, they're cheap enough to give to friends or family who have not been shown the light yet. Or, if you're planning a fall trip to a different city, you can order books for THAT city and save on sightseeing, restaurants, attractions, etc., there! Is that enough reasons for ya?

Just remember, these books expire on November 1, 2009, along with all the coupons in them. And you can mix and match different city books. Standard shipping is $1.98 and can be leisurely... that's why they try to get you to pay for expedited shipping. But it's the beginning of August now, so even if it took two weeks for your books to get to you, you'll still have all of September and October to save your head off.

I swear, I'm not getting kickbacks from them, though I probably should be. I just think these are a genuinely good deal even if you only use 5% of the coupons in there, and at this price, why the heck not?

Top-secret super-spy 8GB flash drive bracelet.

OK, this isn't free (though it is on sale), but it's so weird that I just had to post it anyway. It is an 8GB Bracelet Wrist Band USB Drive Flash Memory Stick, and when you apply coupon code MLC40142835P you'll get 35% off, for a total of $12.35, with free standard shipping.

I'm not sure I agree with the website that it's the "ideal decoration for your wrist," but I guess if you needed to be somewhere that you had 8GB of data handy... and... you didn't have pants... this would be pretty useful?

Anyway, someone thought of it and now it exists.

9 out of 10 dentists approve of this freebie.

Oh, your dentist will be so proud of you when you sign up for this Scope/Crest/Oral B dental freebie kit... it includes Scope Outlast Rinse, Crest plus Scope Outlast tooothpaste, and an Oral-B Floss Pick with Scope Outlast.

Okay, I don't really know what most of those words mean, but I have a feeling that concepts like MAXIMUM EXTREME WINTER FRESHNESS are involved, and that's got to be good.

*sips on enamel-staining coffee*

Aaahhhhh.

Free cards and pen.

Everybody knows Asians love to gamble. Or, if they don't already, they will once they complete this survey and get their free deck of poker cards and accompanying pen. You do have to provide your mailing address in order to get the freebie, which means they can spam your mailbox with actual junk mail, but hey, that's a small price to pay for starting up your own illegal back-room gambling hall at home.

Free Glade Fall into Fragrance gift pack.

Is your house smelly? Or rather, not smelly enough? Then be one of the first 10,000 to sign up for a free Glade Fall into Fragrance gift pack, which includes one free Glade® PlugIns® Scented Gel Warmer plus a refill.

I kind of object to these trash-generating plastic fake-scent machines on principle, but free is free, and I'm sure they're delightfully scented, so if you want one, don't mind me.

Staples has office supplies on sale, too!

Not to be outdone, Staples wants you to know that they too have school supplies for super-low prices, like so:

• $0.01 - Staples filler paper, 120 sheets (limit 5) (Mon-Wed only!)
• $0.75 - Accel 1-subject notebook, 100 sheets (limit 3)
• $1.00 - Foohy Petz assorted monkey head cap erasers,
• $1.00 - 10 pack (limit 2)Staples Delta Elite retractable gel pens
• $1.00 - 2 pack (limit 2)Westcott 7″ bent handle scissors (limit 2)
• $1.00 - Zebra Z-Grip retractable ballpoint pens, 7 pack (limit 2)Staples clear glue sticks, 4 pack (limit 2)
• $1.00 - Paper Mate Sharpwriter mechanical pencils, 5 pack (limit 2)
• $1.00 - Staples photo glossy paper, 60 pack (limit 2)
• $1.00 - RoseArt washable watercolors, 8 pack (limit 2)
• $1.00 - Staples 3-hole punch (limit 2)

Plus, get a $10 Staples gift card when you spend $50... although when everything's a dollar or less, that's gonna be a lot of notebook paper.

Free sample of Oxy Face Wash or cleaning pads.

Troubled by spots after all those Free Chocolate Friday candy bars? Get a free sample of Oxy deep cleaning face wash or cleaning pads here. Even your mom thinks it's cool.

Sebum, begone!

School supply deals at Office Depot.

Office Depot is getting in the school-supply-sale game too, with these specials:

• Free - Scholastic 4 oz. School Glue (w/$5 min. purchase)
• $0.05 - Office Depot Pencil Pouch (limit unknown)
• $0.10 - Tug Pencil Sharpener (limit 3)
• $0.25 - Papermate #2 Pencils, 10 pack (limit 3)
• $0.50 - Office Depot Notebook Filler Paper, 150 pack (limit unknown)
• $1.00 - Office Depot 12″ Acrylic RulerSharpie Accent Pocket Highlighters
• $1.00 - 6 packOffice Depot Marble Composition Book, 100 pages
• $1.00 - Liquid Paper Smooth Coverage White Out
• $1.00 - PaperMate Write Bros Ballpoint Pens
• $1.00 - 10 packOffice Depot
• $1.00 - Paper Clips, 100 pack

That's a lot of dollar specials! I have no specific school-supply needs, but just the thought of all those highlighters and notebooks and multi-packs of ballpoint pens has me salivating a little...

Free Aveda hand lotion sample.

Print out this coupon and take it to your local Aveda store for a "generously sized sample" of Aveda Hand Relief. No purchase necessary, and the offer's good through September 30. They did kind of give me the hard sell when I went in for my free birthday shower gel, but I successfully resisted and I do really like the product, so if you have nerves of steel and can resist the power of suggestive selling, go for it! Just keep repeating, "I will not pay $28 for a bottle of shampoo, I will not pay $28 for a bottle of shampoo..."

Today is Free Taco Tuesday at Jack in the Box!

Print this coupon and head on over to your nearest Jack in the Box for two free tacos! No purchase necessary.

Taco Tuesday makes it all worthwhile.

Fist-shaped vibrating massager for $1.49.

I'm posting this, not because I think it's a good value or anything that you should own, but because I'm so mystified by it. It's a fist-shaped vibrating massager, which you would think is pretty self-explanatory, except... not. Why is it a cartoon Mickey Mouse gloved fist? Why does it have an articulated arm? It's trying to be cute and friendly, which makes it even more creepy. Or do they actually intend it to be used as a back massager, as the model demonstrates?

"This fist-shaped vibrating massager features an angled design that makes it easy to scratch those hard-to-reach itches."

No thanks, Deep Discount. (But if you want it, use promo code 23017 at checkout for 50% off, making it a mere $1.49)

Free bag of Iams cat food.

Are your hungry kitties shredding your pant leg as you read this? Appease their unholy hunger with a coupon for a free bag of Iams cat food when you sign up for the P&G Brand Sampler. You're signing up for a monthly email newsletter (and samples), but that's not nearly as annoying as the persistent mewing of a cat who HASN'T EATEN IN FOUR HOURS AND IS STARVING TO DEATH.

More penne items at Office Max.

The back-to-school penne deals at Office Max are more than just Sharpies! Scoop up these supplies for mere cents:

• 12" Wood Ruler (2121-5472) for only $.01, Limit 6. [Reg. Price $.99]
• 2-Pocket Basic or Prong Folders (2178-0182), $.01, Limit 6. [Reg. Price $.25]
• OfficeMax #2 Pencils 12ct (2079-3321) $.10, Limit 3. [Reg. Price $.99]
• OfficeMax Wide or College-Ruled Filler Paper (0401-0616) $.10, Limit 3. [Reg. Price $.99]
• Composition Book, Wide or College-Ruled 100ct (0600-0212 or 2107-2786) $.50, Limit 6. [Reg. Price $1.59]
• And lots of "buy one at full price, get one for a penne" or "buy two, get the third for a penne" offers

This sale is good through August 8, so stock up now!

BOGO at Jamba Juice through 8/9.

Last chance for deliciously smooth 'n' creamy savings! Jamba Juice's BOGO smoothie offer goes through August 9. I usually make my own smoothies at home, which are healthier and cheaper than theirs, but I admit, I enjoy their slushy fruit blends and immunity boosts. And some of them aren't too bad, calorically, if you get the normal 16-oz size instead of the giant Super Big Gulp size.

Maybe I've talked myself into getting a smoothie... for each hand.

20% off kids' books, toys, games at Borders, plus more

The coupons just keep rolling... this one is for 20% off kids' books, toys, and games. And some other stuff:

• 20% off one item
• Buy a large beverage, get a 12 oz beverage free
• Back to school books and calendars, buy one get one 50% off

Nothing great, but maybe a little helpful, perhaps. Or... you could just wait three days for their next coupon.

1-cent Sharpies at Office Max.

Wahoo! A major score for office supply addicts like me... and you? 1-cent Sharpie single markers with this coupon. This is such a crazy deal that I can't imagine they'll last very long, so zip on over for your indelible, brightly colored share of the fun.

Seattleites, the closest store is in SoDo in the Starbucks building, but there are a few other locations in the area.

Free Annie's 2010 calendar.

You know Annie's, manufacturer of hippie snacks and that mac 'n' cheese with the cute bunny shapes, right? Well, you can get a free 2010 calendar from them now, now, now by filling out this form!

It does ask for a UPC code and date of purchase, but I'm sure if you scour your memory, you'll recall that box of mac 'n' Cheese (UPC #013562302109) you bought on 8/1/09 or later. Right? Remember that? Because I do.

P.S. In case you want to see what it looks like before you commit, you can preview the calendar here. Looks like it has some valuable coupons, recipes, craft projects, etc., plus a really easy connect-the-dots.

Free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios plus $1 off.

This is one time where I actually might want the coupon more than the sample, since I'm already a devoted Cheerios fan. Sign up for a free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios and you'll get a $1 off coupon too. At Fred Meyer, Cheerios are usually $2.50 regularly, so that makes it $1.50 for a box - cheaper than the sad generic Sugar Honey-Os!

I can't tell if it comes in one of those cute little mini-boxes that you can cut open and pour the milk into, but I hope so. Man, I love those things.

Free 3-month subscription to Cooking Light.

This offer comes to you courtesy of Tyson chicken - 3 months of Cooking Light magazine for free. Normally I'm kind of skeptical about these trial offers, because it seems like you're just asking to be deluged with "special offers" and billing notices and panicky letters announcing OMG YOUR SUBSCRIPTION IS ABOUT TO RUN OOUUUT, practically as soon as the first issue arrives.

The link takes you to a page that looks like it demands your credit card info, but that's bogus, so don't do that - free offers should NEVER require your financial info. Looks like they will start sending you nagging bills, but you can either write "Cancel" on them and pay nothing, or you can pay $10 for a one-year subscription, which is actually a pretty good deal. I've been curious about this magazine for a while, so maybe I'll actually try it...

20% off one item at Borders.

Man, Borders comes out with these coupons so often now that I don't even have to type in the subject line, it just auto-fills on its own. Convenience and technology, at my fingertips!

Anyway, another Borders coupon for 20% off one item, etc. Yawn. I'm holding out for the free drink coupon, personally.

Free 3-D glasses.

So, you need some 3-D glasses for your newly purchased Verizon Fios 3-D DVD? Or for some other mysterious reason that cannot be mentioned in polite company? Well, no matter what you need them for, you can get up to four pairs free here.

They're not the newfangled ones you get in theaters today, they're the old-school red and blue kind, so if nothing else, I guess you could use them for a costume or something.

Free Redbox rental code, August 3 only.

Here it is again, one of the very last - perhaps THE very last - Redbox free DVD rental codes, good today only: 27HZ4KT. Check out the guide here if you don't know about Redbox already, and then proceed to your nearest kiosk for some free entertainment!

On a related note, I watched "Bolt" this weekend and was pleasantly surprised by it, so if you don't know what to get and you like heartwarming CGI movies with humorous animals... think about it.