Seattle: 25-cent beers at the 5 Point's 80th b-day party, 12/8.

Back in 1929, when I was young, beers were a quarter, men wore hats, and children respected their elders. On Tuesday, December 8, you can recapture at least one of those golden moments at the 5 Point's 80th birthday party. From 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., they'll offer these specials:

• 2 eggs, bacon, and toast for 25 cents
• Hamburger and fries for 20 cents
• The Blue Plate special for 30 cents
• 25 Cent Pabst Blue Ribbon beers!

(Thanks, Michael!)

Cyber Monday airfare from Jet Blue and Virgin America.

I've never heard of Cyber Monday airfare, but I guess it makes sense - after all, everybody books their air travel online nowadays, and there's bound to be plenty of flying happening between now and January 1. Jet Blue and Virgin America are offering a special Cyber Monday sale on selected flights.

• Jet Blue: One-way nonstop flights for $39, $69, $99. Sale fares are available for purchase on Monday, November 30, 2009, only, between 12:01 a.m. MST to 11:59 p.m. MST.
• Virgin America: Book by December 8 and fly with WiFi, movies, and more for as little as $39 each way. Travel is valid between December 3, 2009, and May 23, 2010.

Not a lot of selection for outbound Seattleites, but maybe you can persuade some out-of-state friends to come and visit you for the holidays...

Burt's Bees: $25 grab bag + free shipping.

The Burt's Bees grab bag is back, just in time for the holidays! This one contains 8 regular items, 11 mini items, plus 4 free gifts, as well as a free Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil AND free shipping with code FREESHIPFRIDAY.

8 Regular-Sized Products:
Lip Shimmer Merlot
Lip Gloss "Pucker Berry"
Beeswax Lip Balm
Lip Gloss "Zesty Red",
All In One Wash (4 oz)
Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar (3.5 oz)

11 Mini-Sized Products Including:
Baby Bee Buttermilk Bath
Rosemary & Peppermint Soap
Natural Skin Care for Men Soap
Peppermint Soap
Orange Essence Facial Cleanser
Peppermint Foot Lotion
Therapeutic Bath Crystals

4 Special Gifts:
Yellow Cotton Bee Socks
Burt's Bees Shower Cap
Lavender Eye Mask
Lip Balm Clip-On

Treat someone to a giant gift if you're feeling generous, or be thrifty and split it out into mini-gifts or stocking stuffers! There's plenty to share...

Entertainment Book: Now $19.99!

Oh, the Entertainment Book just keeps getting cheaper and cheaper... it's now down to $19.99 for all books with free shipping. AND Ebates.com is now offering a whopping $9 back when you buy a book! I'm excited just thinking about all the money you'll save. Mine is already on the way!

Entertainment Weekly: 1-year subscription or renewal, $10.

Amazon is not kidding around about these magazine subscription deals this year. The latest deal is $10 for a one-year subscription (or renewal) to Entertainment Weekly. That's 95% off list price and a heckuva lot cheaper than any of the postcards that fall out of my issues each week.

As always, there is no shipping charge for magazines, BUT they count toward your $25 Super Saver Shipping total, so if there's something else you've been looking at, this could bump your cart up over the limit. And, need I even mention that it would make a great holiday gift?

Free bag of Seattle's Best coffee with mail-in rebate.

Why settle for a mere free-coffee-drink coupon when you could have a whole bag full of free coffee? Excellent point, Seattle's Best Coffee. Mail in this rebate form with your receipt (dated before 12/31/09) and UPC, and they'll send you a check for the purchase price. Seattle's Best Coffee is available at grocery stores and Target, but please note that purchases from Seattle's Best Coffee Cafes (i.e., the Borders coffee shops, I'm thinking) are NOT valid, so be careful where you buy.

Cyber Monday, Green Monday... Brown Monday?

Yeah, I have to say I'm among the vast numbers of people who apparently haven't heard of Green Monday (the actual busiest online-shopping day of the year - sorry, Cyber Monday) or Brown Monday (because retailers start slashing prices to shovel holiday crap out the doors?). Learn about these fascinating industry terms, plus clear up some misconceptions about the actual best-selling shopping days, at this interesting Consumerist post right here.

Cyber Monday: Borders, BOGO 60% off.

Well, now that Black Friday is out of the way, it's time to move on to CYBER MONDAY, and Borders is first out of the gate with a BOGO 60% off promotion. That is, buy any one item storewide, get the second one 60% off. Use promo code BCM1219B to shop online.

This one's actually good through Tuesday, Dec. 1, so you've got a little bit of time to shop. But not forever.

Denny's Grand Slam BOGO.

Would you rather be feasting on bacon and pancakes than jostling with other snarling, angry shoppers for the last electric tie rack? Denny's understands, which is why they're offering a BOGO Grand Slam deal with printed coupon. Good today only, November 27, so quit while you're ahead and go have a delicious greasy breakfast.

Glamour: $10 one-year subscription plus tote.

And just to finish off my trifecta of HSN magazine deals, here's one for Glamour, including a one-year subscription and a stripey tote for $10. Of course, it's hard to beat the crazy-go-nuts deals over at Amazon today, but it's nice to see that other places are trying.

SELF: One-year subscription plus tote, $10.

You know, I've never really looked at the Home Shopping Network for magazines, but their prices aren't bad and the subscriptions all seem to come with giveaways right now. Get a one-year subscription to SELF magazine, plus a tote bag and a Body Bonus guide, for $10.

Allure: $10 one-year subscription plus beauty bag of samples.

Just continuing the magazine subscription theme here, the Home Shopping Network has a deal on Allure magazine: $10 for a one-year subscription plus a bag of beauty samples. The makeup bag is pretty cute, and here's what's in it:

• Samy Fat Hair - Thickening Shampoo
• Elysee - Firmance Pycnogenol Firming Serum
• Cosmedicine - Medi-morphosis Self-Adjusting Exfoliator
• LipFusion - Pucker up
• Italian Beauty - Risarium Black Rice Platinum Ultra-Renewing Face Serum
• AHAVA - Mineral Botanic Velvet Cream Wash (Honeysuckle & Lavender, Bamboo & Pansy)

Black Friday: 20% off sale items at J.Crew.com.

Aha, J. Crew has a Black Friday online discount for you too. 20% off all sale items with coupon code EXTRA20. Free shipping with orders of $150+, too. Which, believe me, is not that hard to do at J. Crew.

Black Friday: 40% off your entire Ann Taylor online order.

I see retailers are trying their hardest to keep everyone at home and ordering online today. Which is fine with me, because that's where I prefer to be, too. Ann Taylor is offering 40% off everything in their online store with coupon code TURKEY. Good through November 27, so snag yourself some holiday party wear or a few nice gifts for the ladies in your life...

Amazon Black Friday: More $5 magazine subscriptions.

Honestly, at this rate I'm going to have lifetime subscriptions to every magazine I've ever even thought about reading. Amazon is offering another handful of $5 one-year subscriptions to the following:

• Real Simple
• SmartMoney
• People StyleWatch
• Popular Science
• Travel & Leisure
• Food & Wine
• House Beautiful
• Cosmopolitan
• Southern Living

I should just get everyone on my list a magazine subscription this year and be done with it, like I keep threatening to. It's never been a better deal to do so!

Threadless Black Friday sale: all t-shirts $9!

Threadless has some Black Friday savings for you, too: all T-shirts will be $9 from 12:01 am on November 27 to 11:59 pm. Everybody wears T-shirts, and this will give you a great excuse to sequester yourself away from any pesky relatives this holiday weekend. "I'll be back in an hour. Hey, do you want an Xmas present this year or not?"

The good designs and sizes tend to sell out pretty quickly, though, so you might want to hover over your computer around midnight LIKE A HAWK for maximum deal-nabbing.

Entertainment Book: 30% off this weekend + $6 rebate through Ebates!

A ha! As much as I enjoy the Entertainment Book, you're a fool if you pay the full $35 list price for it. Up until now, the best deal out there was a $5 gift card with purchase at Borders (which they're still offering), but this weekend only, you can get 30% off ALL Entertainment Books and free shipping! That makes them $24.50, which is a pretty good price for this early in the year (their coupons are valid from November to October, so the 2010 version just came out).

I've said it before and I'll say it again: as soon as you use one BOGO museum admission coupon and BOGO dinner offer, you've made your money back, with a year of savings ahead of you! One thing that I found surprisingly awesome last year was the movie ticket coupons. I always kept a couple in my wallet, and considering that they knock a few bucks off per ticket, it adds up pretty quickly.

Ooh! AND I just found an extra $6 cash back offer on the Entertainment book at Ebates. If you don't already belong to Ebates, consider signing up (that's my referral link) - it's free and you make cash back on all your online purchases, which they send you in quarterly checks. That sweetens the deal even more...

Free taco from Del Taco.

Really, that just about says it. Print the coupon, get a free classic taco. Good until December 8, so you have plenty of time to cash this one in.

IKEA: $1 meatball meal.

Earlier this week, I posted about IKEA's Black Friday sale, but they have a new offer out that's good on November 27 only: $1 meatball madness!

"$1 for 10 meatballs! Offer valid Friday, November 27, 2009, after 11am only! Enjoy 10 mouthwatering Swedish meatballs for just $1 - regularly $4.29! Includes 10 meatballs, mashed potatoes and cream sauce. Not valid at IKEA Hicksville, IKEA Houston and IKEA Direct. See your local IKEA store for details."

I'll leave you to make your own delirious, sleep-deprived meatball-and-cream-sauce jokes, but just know that the Swedes are on your side this Black Friday.

Borders.com: 25% off everything + free shipping.

Borders is throwing their hat in the Black Friday ring with a new online coupon code for 25% off everything in your order and free shipping over $25. Use coupon code BDC6959X and gloat about getting your holiday shopping done in your PJs with a cup of coffee, while the chumps are huddled outside Macy's at 4:00 am for some $10 electric nail clippers.

Info: Black Friday ads and what not to buy.

Black Friday mania is heating up, and with those 4:00 am "doorbusters" only going to the lucky few who are first through the door, you'll want to make sure you're in the right place. Black-Friday.net has all the info you want: dozens of Black Friday ads for everything from Apple to Zales, plus online deals and links to hot items.

On the other hand, Slate has an interesting article about which Black Friday specials aren't worth their SUPER UNBELIEVABLE EXTRA LOW SLASHTACULAR prices. If you were toying with the idea of getting an e-book reader, netbook, or other high-tech gadget this year, read this before you set your alarm.

I used to get dragged out at the crack of Black Friday dawn by my shopaholic relatives, and now that I have a choice in the matter, I never will again. But if your sleep is worth that extra $20 off an HDTV, by all means, go ahead.

Borders: 50% off selected items, Nov. 25 only.

Borders is having a special fine-print sale tomorrow, November 25, in-store only... print this coupon and get 50% off the items listed, if you can read them. The best deals on here are the $4.99 DVDs - there are a few titles I wouldn't mind owning, and for such a wee price, you can wow your recipients with a big fat stack (or a very oddly-shaped stocking).

I'm noticing some overlap with Amazon's Black Friday DVD Sale, which I'm sure is a complete coincidence, but the net result is that you should play one against the other and make them battle for your love. And, more importantly, your cash.

Free earrings, courtesy of Seventeen.

This one will probably go fast, so hop on: a pair of free earrings, courtesy of Urban Original and Seventeen magazine. Fill out the online form and use promo code earrings to get yours!

The freebie is good through January 5 or until supplies run out, but the freebie just went live this morning, so you have a good chance of getting yours if you hustle.

Bath & Body Works: Free item with any $10 purchase.

Oh, they are crafty, these mall shops, trying one tactic and another to lure you into the stores this Black Friday weekend. Like Bath & Body Works, which wants to offer you a free item of your choice with any $10 purchase... in-store only.

Don't fall for it! Stay cozy at home in your pajamas this weekend, gnawing on a turkey leg and shopping online, the way the good Lord intended.

Ulta: $5 off $10.

Ulta is pretty open-handed with the coupon codes, and here's their latest: $5 off a $10 purchase. Use promo code 31877 and avoid brick-and-mortar stores like the Black Friday plague they are!

Good through Dec. 31, 2009.

Seattle: Free Mighty-O donuts for piratical kids on Nov. 28.

Just in case your kids need a leetle more sugar this weekend to help endear them to the extended family, Mighty-O Donuts is here to help. November 28 is Pirate Donut Urchin Day or something at Mighty-O, wherein all children dressed as pirates get a free donut. The details:

"Come join us at Mighty-O Donuts on Saturday, November 28th, 2009 from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm for the launch of our Spiced Rum Cake Donut. Any child that is dressed as a Pirate will receive a free mini-donut of their choice."

You parents might want to slosh a little extra spiced rum on your donut, though. Yarrr.

(Tip from the Seattle Times Freeloader, a new column listing freebies in Seattle.)

Seattle: Free McDonald's mocha and caramel frappes.

So apparently the Mcdonald'ses of Western Washington have banded together to form a fellowship of the fats, and they even have their own website and secret handshake and NO BURGER KINGS ALLOWED BECAUSE THEY HAVE COOTIES. Currently, they have a freebie offer on their website: a printable coupon, good through Dec. 8, for a free small mocha or caramel frappe.

Wisely, they've decided to hedge their bets with some fine print about how it's up to each location whether they participate, require a purchase, etc., so as always, it's wise to call before you go and verify that your desired location will indeed give you a free sugary coffee treat.

This tip is from the Seattle Times Freeloader, a new column listing freebies in Seattle. But I think we all know the HTN is O.G. since '09.

Update: Glominerals free mineral eyeshadow.

Back in October, you may recall a Facebook freebie for glominerals, a mineral makeup company - they were offering free eyeshadows to anyone who became a fan by a certain day. As often happens, the response way exceeded their expectations, but they did eventually get around to honoring all the submissions, and I just received my free sample today!

You didn't get to choose a color and I'm not sure if everyone received the same thing or not, but I got a small 1.4 g (0.05 oz) jar of Playful, which you can sort of see is a very light, shimmery pink. The picture was taken in my bathroom, which is not a portrait studio, so it's a little lighter and less yellowy in real life.

Did you sign up in time for the Facebook offer? And if so, did you get your glominerals sample yet? Speak up in the comments!

Oh, and if you missed out but are still curious to try, they also included a coupon code for 30% off liquid, loose, or pressed powder. Use promo code FBPROMO to make it happen.

Info: Why there's no such thing as a free Snuggie (and how to spot scams).

HeyItsFree.net is a good, reliable site for freebie offers, one that I check regularly, and they also have some good information on the business of freebie-ing, like this new article on how the author investigates and dismisses scammy freebie offers.

If you're a savvy Internet user, you can probably spot a scam pretty quickly, too - even if you don't know what you're looking for in so many words, you can tell if something "feels" wrong or not legit. But this article has some useful, concrete tips for verifying the ownership of a site and identifying shifty, skeezy business tactics that should make you suspicious about giving away your personal information.

Be cautious, be safe out there! The Internet is a dangerous place, and it's not known for free Snuggies.

Black Friday: IKEA free breakfast and sale.

IKEA is crazy enough on a regular weekend day, so I can't even imagine what Black Friday looks like there. Probably like Hell on earth, I would imagine. If you're foolhardy enough to attempt it, here's what you can expect to get:

• Free breakfast and coffee to all store guests (a $1.98 value)
• Friday 11/27 Deals - Svalka wine glasses $1.99, TV/storage bench $99, Corner TV bench $89, side table $29, shoe cabinet $49.99, CD tower $29, coffee table $59
• Saturday 11/28 - Queen or King back sleeper combo $14.99, sofa $199
• Sunday 11/29 - 20-piece flatware set $9.99, kitchen cart $19.99
• All 3 days - $2.99-$4.99 gift wrap, bags, ribbons 99¢

As a matter of fact, I'm planning on staying well away from all stores for the whole nutty BF weekend, but if there's one store that I'm absolutely not going anywhere near, it's IKEA. Um, but have fun!

Avon: Holiday Treat Parade, $12, + free shipping today.

Got some stockings to stuff this year? Let Avon help you with their 16-piece Parade of Holiday Treats. Actually, I'm a little divided on holiday-themed Xmas gifts, because by the time you receive them on Xmas, the holiday's over, but lip gloss is good year round, I suppose.

Here's what you get for $12:

• 4 Holiday Hand Creams - Each, 1.5 fl. oz. Comes in the following brands (one of each) - Avon Basics Silicone Glove, Avon Basics Vita Moist, MOISTURE THERAPY Intensive and SKIN SO SOFT Soft & Sensual. A $3.96 value.
• 4 Avon Kids Holiday Bath Time Body Paints Each, 1.7 fl. oz. Comes in Bubble Gum, Green Apple, and two Coconut Custard. A $7.96 value.
• 8 Winter Treats Lip Balms Keep lips soft and stockings full. Each, .15 oz. net wt. Comes in two Frosted Cookie, two Wintermint, two Candy Cane and two Cinnamon Spice. A $7.92 value.

Remember, they also have plenty of 99-cent mini items, so if this isn't quite enough for you or you want different things, you can bulk up your order with bubble bath, shower gel, body lotion, and lots and lots of lip balm.

With coupon code GOBBLE (good through midnight November 23, which is today), you'll also get free shipping with a $5 minimum order.

Subway: Free animal lunch tote with kid's meal purchase.

These are way better than the dumb cardboard Happy Meal box! Get a free wild animal lunch tote when you purchase a kid's meal at Subway. I think the cheetah one is pretty rad because it appears to be attacking a city, but all of them are cool. I can't tell if the sideways ones are insulated, but they look like they might be.

Not to get all Martha Stewart on you, but this might be a cute/novel way to wrap an odd-sized gift in something that's actually useful. Plus, you get to eat the kid's meal. Okay, fine, or you could give it to an actual child.

Black Friday: Old Navy super sale.

Are you ready for this flurry of Black Friday discounts and specials at Old Navy? I don't think I am, but here we go:

• Thursday, Nov. 26: $10 off $50 with coupon code 10OFFSITE (or print a coupon for in-store here)
• Thursday, Nov. 26: 50% Off All Outerwear
• Friday, Nov. 27: $15 All Adults Jeans & Sweaters, Kids Frost-Free Jackets, Free LEGO RockBand Software with $20 Purchase
• Saturday, Nov. 28: $5 Fleece Blankets and Thermals for the Family, $2 Holiday Stockings, Entire Store on Sale

Last year I scooped up some cashmere sweaters on sale and that was pretty cool, but if you're shopping for a crowd or a family, Old Navy basics are a heck of a deal.

Cost Plus: $5 off $20 or $20 off $50 with coupon.

No need to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to get started on your holiday shopping... at least, not at Cost Plus. They have coupons for $5 off $20 or $20 off $50, good through November 25. These appear to be in-store coupons only, so you'll actually have to drag yourself to a physical store like in olden tymes, sorry.

Black Friday: Free medium soda at Target.

I was at Target over the weekend and let me tell you, just finding a parking space and getting in the store left me worn out. So just imagine what a clusterdisaster it'll be during the Black Friday rush! If you're among the shopping hordes and you need a little sit-down, print out this coupon for a free medium soda and park yourself on those comfy molded plastic booths while you watch the swirling vortex of crazed humanity around you.

Good November 27 and 28 only, but I have no doubt there will be plenty of other holiday specials coming down the pike, so stay tuned.

Amazon: Black Friday DVD sale starts now!

Amazon is kicking off Black Friday early this week - right now, in fact - to get a head start on vacuuming up your retail dollars this holiday season. Check out their Black Friday DVD sale this week to see what deals you can score!

It's rather complicated, but basically certain DVDs will be on sale for specific 4-hour windows of time, and they are updating the list with prices now. So once you see something you know you'll want, schedule yourself a reminder on your calendar and get ready to pounce!

$5 one-year subscription to ESPN.

Okay, I have to admit that for me personally, a subscription to ESPN Magazine ranks slightly below Vegetarian Times. But maybe you like sports and sporting events. Or maybe there's someone on your holiday gift list who does, and you like saving 96%. Now that I can get behind!

Get a one-year subscription for a mere $5 through November 26 and, um, hit a holiday home run? Ouch. That was unnatural.

Free sample of Millstone coffee.

Walmart comes to the rescue again on this chilly, rainy night with a free sample of Millstone coffee. As I've mentioned before, I grudgingly have to admit that Walmart is pretty on top of their sample game - the samples come quickly and never get lost in the postal abyss. Looks like there are some tasty flavors to choose from, too, although I'd give that recipe for Hot Apple Spice Coffee Punch a wide berth.

Avon: Pre-T-day sale and free shipping with $5 order.

Avon calling! Again! Just wanted to let you know that we're offering free shipping on $5 orders! Again! So, um, don't hesitate to place your traditional Thanksgiving makeup order! Okaythanksbye!

Use promo code GOBBLE to get your free shipping. Good through November 23.

Virgin Mobile Slash $29 at Walmart.com.

OK, I know this may not be relevant to you fancy iPhone and BlackBerry owners, but Walmart has a special deal on the pay-as-you-go Virgin Mobile Samsung Slash. It's $29 + $0.97 shipping, which is a remarkable discount off the $79 price tag on Virgin's website.

If you're holding out for the texter-friendly XTC or Rumor2, I bet there will be holiday markdowns a-coming, so hang in there.

Borders: 30% off any book.

Oh yes, Borders coupons are back! Not that they ever really went anywhere, but, you know... here's another one. 30% off any book (not any item) this time.

Remember, if you're like me and plan on doing a giant entertainment-media holiday order to knock out 65% of your gift shopping, consider taking Borders up on its offer to give you a $10 gift card free when you buy $50 in gift cards. Whether you use 'em to choose your own items or divvy 'em up and hand them out as gift cards, you'll come out ahead! $10 ahead, to be exact.

Audible.com: Free audiobooks until Nov. 26.

Planning to travel this Thanksgiving? Nothing helps you block out your relatives' nagging like a pair of headphones clamped over your ears. Download a free audiobook from Audible.com now through November 26 and enjoy the sweet, sweet sound of a total stranger's voice, who will absolutely not nag you about when you're going to get married and make some grandkids.

This offer is good for new members only, and it says no credit card is required, but you might want to check the fine print anyway. I'm kind of curious about the novelization of Where the Wild Things Are, by Dave Eggers.

(Thanks, Jake!)

Tulle: 50% off sitewide + free shipping on Black Friday.

Tulle is having a big ol' Black Friday sale at its online store - 50% off everything sitewide, plus free ground shipping! I've got my eye on this colorful wool coat, and I've been admiring this blue tulip dress for some time now, so if you want to grab a deal on November 27 starting at 12:00 am, you'll have to get through me first.

Redbook, Marie Claire, SPIN, Esquire, etc.: $5 one-year subscription.

Oops, I guess I spoke too soon! There are LOTS MORE $5 magazine subscriptions available on Amazon. Check it out:

• Redbook
• Marie Claire - One year
• Marie Claire - TWO years for $5
• Harper's Bazaar
• Esquire
• Los Angeles Magazine
• SPIN
• Inc.
• Maxim
• Country Living
• Seventeen

For the ones that say "auto-renewal," don't panic if you're a new subscriber; just look in the drop-down menu and choose the regular one-year subscription. If you already subscribe, you can add an extra year on and Amazon will forward that info to the publisher.

Check out the Holiday Discounts page for the full list. Magazines for everybody this year!

Good Housekeeping: $5 one-year subscription.

I have to say, Amazon has been quite generous with these super-cheap magazine subscriptions. There have been plenty of decent titles for just $5 a year. The latest one is Good Housekeeping, which is $7.97 for a one-year subscription, BUT has an extra $3 off right now, bringing the total to a paltry $4.97.

This deal is good until November 30, so order now for the holidays and send your recipients a gift card telling them what they've won. I know Good Housekeeping doesn't exactly set your mailbox on fire, but surely you know a kindly maternal figure who enjoys reading about 50 Best New Holiday Cookies, right?

Free IMOOI handbag with $100 purchase.

I know, I know, that doesn't exactly sound like a deal, but hear me out. IMOOI is a fancy-pants design company that makes nifty Euro jewelry with stainless steel and acrylic, resin, and wood inlay. I like the necklaces in particular because many are reversible, so it's two, two, two necklaces in one! (They do have cufflinks for the men, too.)

Anyway, they're not cheap, BUT they're having a pre-holiday shopping event in which you get to pick out a free handbag with a $100 purchase (before taxes). The bags run $50-60 each, so, you know, that's a pretty good value. Get a pair of earrings for you, a pair for your best friend, and as for the handbag... well, I won't tell anyone if you don't.

Use the free handbag code which corresponds to the name of the bag: NEBULA, OLA, ECHO, KIMONO. Offer expires Saturday, November 28, 2009, or while supplies last!

Seattle: There is such a thing as a free lunch!

Seattleites, who says there's no such thing? Get your free lunchin' freebies for the week here:

• Free coffee all day Nov. 18 at Street Bean Espresso, Belltown
• "Free Fry Friday" at Pike Street Fish Fry (next to Neumos), Nov. 20 -- free boats of fries and $2 pints of Fat Tire and Mothership
• Free two-course dinner at Grand Cru Wine Bar on Wednesdays and Saturdays (pay only 18% tip) -- must make reservation online or by phone

Courtesy of Eat All About It. (Thanks, Tiffany!)

Macy's: $10 off $25 coupon, 11/17 and 11/18 only.

Macy's has a pretty great coupon out that's good today or tomorrow, Nov. 17-18, only: $10 off a $25 purchase of sale or clearance items. They're proclaiming it their Biggest One Day Sale of the Year, and maybe it is. All I know is, if there's something you've had your eye on at Macy's that's $25 or more, now is the time to go fight with other thrifty ladies for it!

Free $50 AmEx card for driving a Cadillac.

Wait, what? So Cadillac is going to give you a $50 AmEx gift card just for the grueling labor of... test-driving one of their luxury cars? It's a rough life, you know?

Okay, they're going to collect your personal information and probably run a credit check on you while you're out tootling around in their Escalade. And yes, you are giving them permission to contact you at the number you provide (although it is very easy to accidentally enter the wrong phone number when you're typing quickly). And there might be an element of time-share captive-audience endurance while you wait impatiently for them to finish their pitch and cough up your gift card. BUT STILL.

I recommend not showering, and wearing your oldest, holiest, paint-stainedest clothes, maybe mention that you're coming down with swine flu. The worse you look, the quicker they'll want to give you your gift card and get you out of their showroom!

Opinion Outpost: Earn cash or Amazon credit for surveys!

It's been a while since I mentioned Opinion Outpost (that's my referral link), so I thought I'd talk about them again since we're going into the holidays. No, I'm not an official spokesperson or anything, but I noticed today that I've made $85 so far through them, which isn't too bad for killing time on the Internet! And I'll be cashing out to do some Xmas shopping pretty soon, you betcha.

Basically, it's a survey site that's free for anyone to join, and you can earn cold, hard cash - OR Amazon e-certificates, which are redeemable instantly, a pretty awesome new development (previously, you had to wait and they would mail you a check, which you can still do if you want the cash). You earn points for completing - or partial points for being disqualified from - surveys, and if my shaky math works out, it's about $0.10 per point. So a typical survey might get you 20 points, or $2, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up pretty quickly and they're easy to polish off in a couple of minutes while you're waiting on hold or whatever.

There are plenty of other good survey sites besides Opinion Outpost out there if you look for them, many of which pay in cash. Just remember, a legitimate site will never charge you to join up, will explain its rewards system clearly, and won't require you to participate in any "special offers" or "premium memberships." If you're going to waste time in front of your computer, you might as well be making money, right?

Free California Flatbreads at Jamba Juice, Nov. 17.

I didn't really know Jamba Juice served food, but apparently they're branching out, and November 17 is your chance to sample the new California Flatbreads for free. Swing by from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, but don't be late, because they're only giving away 150 flatbreads per store! Find a participating store near you here.

ThinkGeek: $5 off $25 or $10 off $30.

ThinkGeek has all the coolest gadgets, toys, and caffeinated soap for your favorite nerd. They do tend to be a tad pricey, but when you're saving $5 off a $25 purchase or $10 off a $30 purchase, that sweetens the deal.

Coupon code: 9HBB($5 off orders of $25 or more or $10 off orders of $50 or more)
Coupon code: UMASSFLOSS09($10 off $29.99 or more)

What will you geek out on?

Borders: Get $10 when you buy $50 in gift cards.

Borders must be desperate for sales this year already, because they're offering a pretty good deal: buy two $25 gift cards and get a $10 gift card free. (Essentially, they're offering you 20% interest on a loan of $50, albeit payable in Borders-only currency.) They probably intend for you to give the two $25 cards as gifts and maybe keep the $10 for yourself, but here are some other things you could do:

• Use the two $25 cards and purchase five $10 cards - now you have six $10 gift cards to use as office gifts, stocking stuffers, or thank-you enclosures
• If you know you're going to be buying $50 worth of books/CDs/DVDs as gifts, order them and spend them at Borders yourself to get $60 worth of stuff for $50
• And don't forget to use the constant flow of 25--40% off Borders coupons to maximize your buying power!

Drugstore.com: Free B&W tote bag with purchase of specially marked items.

You were just saying you needed another tote bag, right? Well, drugstore.com comes to your rescue with this offer. Buy a qualifying item and get a black-and-white tote bag from More. Qualifying items include a 16.8 oz. Jergen's body lotion for $5.19 or Vitafusion 70-count gummi vitamins for $4.12, so you don't have to spend a ton to get the free bag. You'll still have to pay shipping unless you meet the free shipping purchase requirement, though.

Clinique Bonus Time at Nordstrom.

I do love Clinique Bonus Time, but the trick is to keep an eye on the various stores that offer Clinique gift sets, because they always change up the bags and the products and you have to make sure you're getting the best one. The last bonus at Macy's wasn't that great, but this one at Nordstrom looks pretty good:

• Liquid Facial Soap in Mild (1.7 oz.)
• All About Eyes (0.17 oz.)
• Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Cupid (0.06 oz.)
• Travel-Size Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Pink Chocolate
• Lash Doubling Mascara in Black (0.14 oz.)
• Long Lasting Lipstick in Pink Chocolate (0.14 oz.)
• 3-Piece Makeup Brush Set

I'm not terribly impressed with the product name "Blushing Blush Powder Blush," though. It reminds me of that stupid cat from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, who could only say the word "meow" and the occasional friendship-related word. Blush blush receive blush free gift set blush, blush minimum purchase of $25 blush! Mew.

Aveda: Free Rosemary Mint body wash sample.

Print this email and bring it in to your local Aveda store for a free sample bottle of Rosemary Mint body wash. Oh man, if you like mint, you'll love this stuff... I smelled it when I was there cashing in some other freebie, and it smelled GREAT. They have a whole line of shampoo, lotion, etc.

You can also get the free bottle online with a purchase of $40, and they are encouraging you to do all your holiday shopping with them, so I guess that's an option to consider.

50 free photo cards + free shipping.

This freebie comes from HeyItsFree.Net, evidently by way of freebies4mom, but either way, you'll want to get in on this one: 50 free 4x8 or 5x7 photo cards with free shipping! Use promo code freebies4mom-1109 before November 30.

You can also get 100 free photo prints when you create a new account and use the promo code prints, but that has to be in a separate order, so you'll have to place two orders to wring the maximum value out of them.

Photo gifts are everywhere this year! Take advantage of technological magic freebies for your holiday correspondence needs.

Cost Plus: BOGO coffee bags + double coffee-card punches.

Cost Plus wants you to be alert! And caffeinated! So much so that they are offering a BOGO special, today only, on their coffee bags! They have 25 flavors to choose from, including some festive-sounding flavors such as chocolate peppermint!

Also you can get double punches on Wednesdays on your coffee card when you join the Coffee Club! You'll get a free bag of coffee for every six that you purchase! And you will be entered into a drawing for a year's supply of coffee! That's a pretty good deal if you drink a lot of java!

CAFFEINE!!!

Body Shop: $15 grab bags worth $50+ each.

Will I never learn? I guess not. I am such a sucker for the mysterious allure of the grab bag, where anything awesome could be in there... even though I have been burned before. It's just too titillating to imagine all the wonderful prizes that could be in there, even though logic tells me that the items are probably just junk they couldn't unload at regular prices.

If you're a brave soul, you can get a grab bag from the Body Shop for $15 that is guaranteed to have a retail value of $50 and might be worth as much as $75. At the minimum, each bag contains:

• 1 Full-size 1.7 oz Body Butter
• 1 Spa Wisdom™ Product
• 1 Mini Gift
• 1 Accessory
• 1 Makeup Item
• Some of the bags will contain additional surprise items.

There's a limit of 2 grab bags, and with a $30 purchase you also get free shipping with coupon code WEL103. Could be a fun what-the-hell gift for your favorite makeup-loving birthday girl!

Outback Steakhouse: Free Bloomin' Onion and beverage for vets on Veterans' Day.

The Veterans' Day freebies just keep rolling in... this one is for the Outback Steakhouse, where veterans and active servicemembers will receive a free Bloomin' Onion and beverage (probably not an alcoholic one, alas) by showing their military ID.

If I were a veteran, I'd just spend the whole day rolling from restaurant to restaurant, claiming my free Applebee's meals and Krispy Kreme doughnuts and so on, but unfortunately, I don't get the day off. See, I make sacrifices for my country too.

Krispy Kreme: Free doughnuts for vets on Veterans' Day.

What better way to recognize our country's veterans than by presenting them with free Krispy Kreme doughnuts? There is none.

Free doughnut of any variety for your favorite vet (or active servicemember) on Veterans' Day. It doesn't say whether a military ID or other proof will be required, but you should probably not try to sneak your eight-year-old daughter on this one.

$10 when you exchange $40 at Coinstar.

Wow, I wish I'd known about this promo last weekend when I took all my coins to Coinstar. Sigh! But you can still take advantage of it. Round up $40 worth of coins and have them counted at a Coinstar kiosk and converted into a gift card, and you'll receive an extra $10 certificate by mail, through December 6. Remember, there are no coin counting fees if you have your money converted into a gift card, and they have some pretty good ones, for Amazon and iTunes and the like.

Find your closest machine here and start lugging those cloth sacks with big $ signs on them.

Borders: 30% off any item.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's the coupon you've been waiting for... 30% off any item, in-store or online at Borders!

Well, okay, maybe it wasn't the coupon you've been waiting for. But it's the one you're getting.

Amazon: 1-year Cooking Light subscription, $5.

I know sometimes Amazon's weekly magazine deals seem like cleaning out the closet - let's see, what have we here, five years of back issues of Vegetarian Times? - but honestly, this one is really good: a 1-year subscription to Cooking Light for $5.

As it happens, I already subscribe, but you can tack on an extry year to your subscription for the same price, so... guess what I'll be doing. Yep, I'm dedicated to singlehandedly keeping print journalism alive.

Vets eat free at Applebee's on Veterans' Day.

Veterans' Day falls on a Wednesday this year, which is a little inconvenient for me in that it doesn't work out to a 3-day holiday weekend, but, you know, that's fine. Just like a veteran, I'm willing to make sacrifices for my country.

Even if you have to work, treat your favorite veteran to dinner out at Applebee's, where vets eat free on November 11. Just show your military ID and choose from the Three-Cheese Chicken Penne, Fire Pit Bacon Burger, Fiesta Lime Chicken, Chicken Tenders Platter, 7 oz. House Sirloin, or Oriental Chicken Salad.

On an unrelated note, I saw this footnote at the bottom: "Burger patties are grilled to your choice of pink or no-pink." What happened to good old medium rare vs. medium well? Do they just not do that anymore? Back in my day, etc. etc.

Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic: 30% off + 5% to charity.

What's better than 30% off? Why, 30% off and 5% going to charity, of course! Click here to support Teach for America and here to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (and I'm sure there are more participating charities out there). Print out the coupon and present it at the register, and you can use it as much as you want from November 12-15. In-store only, but hey, it's for a good cause...

Free 12-oz drink at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Nov. 12.

Okay, lucky readers in CA, AZ, or TX, this one's for you: on Nov. 12 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, get a free 12-oz holiday beverage at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Choose from a 12-oz Peppermint Latte or Ice Blended® drink, Pumpkin latte or Ice Blended® drink, or Winter Dream Tea® Latte. Find a store near you and curl up with a delicious hot bev!

Borders: 25% off one item, in-store and online.

25% off one item, Borders? You're slipping here. I'm not angry, just disappointed.

Bath & Body Works: Buy 3, get 3 free, plus $3 shipping.

Calling all gift baskets! Restock your bath-products cabinet instantly with this sale at Bath & Body Works: buy 3 and get 3 free, plus $3 shipping. Or throw 'em in a cute little tray or basket and you've got yourself a holiday gift DONE. Smell like the holidays!

Update: Free almond tin.

So you may remember from a while back - August, to be precise - there was a freebie for an empty almond tin. I think it was by the National Almond Association or some such. Well, I finally got mine, so I thought I would post a picture of it so you guys can see it if you're curious. It turns out that it's much smaller than I thought - I guess one serving of almonds isn't very many, since the tin is supposedly sized so it fits one portion perfectly, for your to-go snacking pleasure.

I'm actually not a big almond snacker, so I think I'll use it for pills or paper clips or loose pieces of gum or something. You know, whatever I want to eat 23 of at once.

Free entree item with purchase at Panda Express.

Man, I wish there was a Panda Express near me. Or maybe I don't, because then I'd be using these free-entree coupons all the time until I was the size of a panda. Get a free entree with the purchase of a two- or three-item entree with this coupon.

Elizabeth Arden: Free 4-piece beauty box + sample + free shipping.

I don't think I've ever bought Elizabeth Arden cosmetics, but if you do, you might want to take note of this offer: a free 4-piece beauty box, plus a bonus sample of some fancy cream or other, plus free shipping on purchases of $25 with promo code BEAUTY25. And something tells me it won't be that hard to rack up a $25 purchase here.

• Double Density Maximum Volume Mascara in Black
• .15 oz. Eyeshadow Quad in Sparkle, Topaz, Moonbeam and Aura
• .09 oz. Mediterranean Eau de Parfum Spray
• .16 fl. oz. Ceramide Plump Perfect Eye Moisture Cream SPF 15
• .25 oz Free Ceramide Plump Perfect with any purchase
• Free Shipping on $25

I think I still prefer Clinique's Bonus Time gift bags, but to each her own...

Free books for kids when you become a Facebook fan of Cheerios.

This is a freebie with a twist: the free item isn't for you. When you become a Facebook fan of Cheerios through today, Nov. 5, they'll donate one free book to at-risk kids for every fan, up to 500,000 books. You like cereal, right? And you like literacy? So become a fan already! You can always hide their updates if you don't care to hear about Cheerios' doings.

Facebook: Free treat from Clarins next week for fans.

Another Facebook freebie is making the rounds, this time for Clarins beauty products. They'll be sending out a special offer of some kind on November 9 to all their fans, so if you become a fan of their page before then, you'll get... something. A free sample? A discount coupon? A gift with purchase? Who knows? Only one way to find out.

Borders: 30% off any item.

Yes yes, I know, another Borders coupon. It bores me, too.

30% off one item, in-store or online with promo code BSL6887A. Good through Nov. 4, so act fast for maximum savings!

$5 Borders gift card when you buy the Entertainment Book.

I'm sure you've heard me ranting and raving about the Entertainment Book, how it pays for itself with just one use and you can get great deals even if you only use 1% of the hundreds of coupons in there... well, the 2010 version is now available online and in stores. And if you get it at Borders, you'll get a $5 gift card along with it, bringing the price from $35 to $30.

Personally, I'm waiting, because the deals tend to get better and better as the year goes on, but if you can't wait to get started on savings or you know there's something in there you'll use right away, go to Borders and get yourself an extra $5!

50% off all Halloween stuff at Spirit.

Now that Halloween is over, it's time to start thinking about next Halloween. The Spirit costume store is offering 50% off all Halloween merchandise through November 15. Why be one of those desperate people dashing off to the drugstore an hour before the party when you could stock up on an entire costume department for cheap?

Free shipping today, Nov. 2, at Threadless!

Yes, that's right, free shipping all day today at Threadless.com. Stock up on your ironic hipster t-shirts for winter warmth, or stocking-stuffing purposes!

Free Steaz tea at Whole Foods.

Is it just me, or is Steaz not the greatest brand name ever invented? To me, it almost sounds like a guy's name, but not quite... or maybe like a nickname for your neighbor's greasy, smelly, basement-dwelling unemployed son who probably sells meth out of the trunk of his Trans-Am. Yeah. That guy.

Anyway. Print out this coupon and get yourself a free zero-calorie beverage at Whole Foods. Then practice chest-bumping your friends and bellowing, "YO, STEAZ!"

Free movie tix to "Gentlemen Broncos."

I don't know what the movie "Gentlemen Broncos" is or what it might be about, but you can get free screening tickets in select cities. Seattle's showing will be at the Landmark Varsity on November 10 at 7:00 p.m., so if you're free that evening, get yourself some tix to a free show! Whatever it may turn out to be!

$5 one-year subscription to Vegetarian Times.

This week's Amazon magazine steal of the week is a one-year subscription to Vegetarian Times for $5. Delight the pale, anemic vegetarian hippie in your life this holiday season! Plus, they can get an extra thrill by recycling it afterwards. Just don't expect them to show too much excitement - they really don't have the extra energy to burn on public displays of emotion.

Spend $100 at Cost Plus, get $100 in Restaurant.com certificates.

Cost Plus continues with the oddball tie-in promotions, this one for a Restaurant.com certificate. When you spend $100 online at their store, they'll send you an email with a promo code so you can redeem it for $100 in Restaurant.com gift certificates.

This offer is good through November 6, so you have a few days to select the perfect sari-inspired toss pillows and artisanal hand-blown glass pitchers.