Google Deals: $5 gets you $10 at Starbucks.

So I guess Google has a daily-deal service now too? It really wears a person out trying to keep up with all these amazing savings. Today's is pretty good for the coffee lovers out there, though: $5 gets you a $10 eGift card from Starbucks. Better yet, $3 of your purchase price goes to the Create Jobs for USA Fund, which provides loans to small businesses in order to create jobs in the community.

You do have to sign up for a (free) Google Deals account in order to be eligible for the deal, and the deal can only be bought today.

$5 for a $10 Amazon gift card, Mar. 20.

Confused? I admit that's a complicated headline for a Monday morning, so let me try again. Tomorrow, March 20, you can pay $5 and get a $10 Amazon store credit. They're doing this to promote their own daily-deals site (like Groupon), but you can spend the credit anywhere on Amazon.com - it doesn't have to be on AmazonLocal.

They're being a bit coy about how many of these deals are available, but I have a feeling they'll be server-crashingly popular, so stick with it if you have a little trouble tomorrow!

Seattle: Free $10 gift card for filling out a Seattle Times survey.

Hey Seattle! Go to the Seattle Times website and look in the upper-right-hand corner, where it says "Take a survey." (You might have to close out that obnoxious Restaurant Week scrolling ad first.)

You can get a $10 gift card to Bartells, Fred Meyer, or Macy's for filling it out! Takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Target: Free $10 gift card with $75 purchase.

The Target gift card offer is back, in a slightly less appealing form... this time you'll have to spend $75 in order to get the free $10 gift card. Still, if you're buying a couple of gifts and some holiday dinner groceries, maybe some candy or wrapping paper, it won't be hard to hit the minimum purchase!

Offer is valid from Friday, Dec. 16, at 5:00 pm through noon on Dec. 17, so choose your shopping times wisely...

Target: Free $10 gift card with $50 purchase.

Here's a deal that I won't have any trouble qualifying for... it is not hard at all to rack up $50 at Target on things I simply must have (especially since they have surprisingly good prices on baking supplies).

Get a $10 gift card with this coupon when you spend $50 at Target, now through Dec. 12. Even if you're way more organized than me and already have your holiday shopping done, stock up on toiletries or groceries and you'll be there in no time!

Facebook: Free $25 AmEx gift cards to the first 30,000 on Nov. 1.

UPDATE: It starts at 1:00 pm Eastern time, or 10:00 am Pacific time for those of us on the West Coast. Set your reminders!

Last year, American Express did a support-small-business program during the holidays, where you'd get a $25 refund when you made a $25+ purchase at a small local business. This year they're doing it slightly differently by teaming up with FedEx via Facebook.

Starting on Nov. 1 (which could mean EDT or PDT - stay tuned!), the first 30,000 visitors to FedEx's Facebook page can sign up for a $25 ShopSmall AmEx gift card. This is all part of its campaign for Small Business Saturday (Nov. 26), encouraging shoppers to buy from their local independent businesses this holiday season. A good idea whether you get one of the gift cards or not!

LivingSocial: Pay $10 for a $20 Amazon e-gift card.

This one's been floating around the Internets for about a day, but I was a little dubious at first — however, it seems to be the real deal, so maybe Amazon was just tired of making all the money in the world. Anyway, pay $10 and get a $20 Amazon e-gift card* (really just a promo code), which does not expire.

Since I order stuff from Amazon seemingly every other week, I figured I can definitely use it. It's not exactly a freebie, but still a pretty sweet bargain.

*Full disclosure: that's my referral link, which may give me a discount if enough people clickthrough and buy. But I still think it's a great deal.

Reminder: Cash in $40 at Coinstar, get a bonus $10.

Don't forget, this deal is about to end on December 31! Cash in $40 at Coinstar for an e-gift card with participating merchants, and on the bottom of your receipt you'll see a promo code. Enter the code on Coinstar's website, and they'll mail you the bonus $10 gift card!


Participating merchants include Borders, Lowe's, iTunes, and Regal Cinemas. You like free books, music, DVDs, home stuff, and movie tickets, right?

Making the best of those unwanted gift cards.

In this modern age, it's hard to get through a holiday season without receiving at least one gift card (I got four myself). But do you know all the applicable federal and state laws surrounding gift cards? Of course not, and that's why this handy state-by-state guide to gift card law is so awesome. For example, here in Washington state, gift cards are redeemable for cash if the value is $5.00 or less - good to know if you assumed you HAD to spend down to the last penny (and end up spending your own money to cover the difference on that last purchase).

Lifehacker has a good article on ways to make sure you use your gift cards to their fullest, including electronic reminders when you're close to an expiration date.

And if you have a dog of a gift card that you know you'll never, ever use in a million years, consider using a trade-in site like Plastic Jungle to exchange it for one you actually will. Yeah, you'll lose a bit of value on that card, but you'll end up with something you'll really use.

Seattle: Buy a $10 Cupcake Royale gift card, get a free cupcake or drink.

Panicking over last-minute surprise gifts, Seattle? Why not keep a $10 Cupcake Royale gift card in your pocket, and you'll be ready for whatever the holidays throw your way. 

• Thank-you gift for coworker, mailman, pet sitter
• Emergency present-ambush defense 
• Toss it in a "white elephant" party and watch the blood fly as people fight for it

Plus, when you buy a $10 gift card, Cupcake Royale will treat YOU to a free beverage or cupcake as a little thank-you. See, it really is better to give than to receive.

Starbucks: Get a $5 gift card when you buy a 12-pack of VIA.

Starbucks' 12 Days of Sharing campaign still has a few more days to go... and VIA fans may enjoy today's deal. Get a $5 gift card free when you purchase a 12-pack of VIA (that doesn't include the iced or the new flavored kinds, but does include the brand-new Christmas Blend). 12-packs are usually $10, so that's like getting it for $5... or getting a couple of free coffees... or getting a stocking stuffer or thank-you gift that you can pass on to some deserving soul.

Ahem.

Coinstar: Cash in $40, get a free bonus $10.

Want to cash in some of that change that's been piling up in your coin jar, and get a little something extra for yourself at the same time? Coinstar makes it easy with their current promotion. Through Dec. 31, cash in $40 at Coinstar for an e-gift card with participating merchants, and on the bottom of your receipt you'll see a promo code. Enter the code on Coinstar's website, and they'll mail you the bonus $10 gift card!

Currently participating merchants include Borders, Lowe's, iTunes, Regal Cinemas, and Rixty, and Amazon will be joining the fun on Dec. 9. Scrounge up some change and get the rest of your holiday shopping done painlessly!

Borders: 33% off one item, free $10 gift card when you spend $50 in gift cards.

Borders has a couple of things going on today... first, of course, there's another 33% off coupon good through December 2.

The other, more interesting offer involves gift cards: buy $50 worth of gift cards (either as one $50 card or two $25 cards) and you'll get a bonus $10 gift card FREE. The $10 bonus card can only be redeemed from Dec. 26-31, so you'll have to keep an eye on it so it doesn't expire, but if there's something that Santa doesn't bring you, this is a good way to snag it for yourself on the cheap while getting some convenient gift-card presents for others. Ho, ho, ho!

Borders: Free $10 gift card when you spend $50 in gift cards.

Borders has another deal today, this one on gift cards... buy $50 worth of gift cards at Borders.com (either as one $50 card or two $25 cards) and you'll get a free $10 gift card.

If you have some hard-to-shop-for people on your list - and who doesn't? - this is an easy way to make sure they'll get something they like. If you go for two $25 cards, plus the free $10 card, that's two holiday gifts down PLUS a nice thank-you gift for a coworker, postal worker, building manager, etc.

PRO TIP: If you're ready for advanced freebie ju-jitsu, remember that you can also use these gift cards yourself, combined with all those juicy 40% off coupons. Which means your gift-buying budget will go 40% further, AND you'll get that free $10 gift card too!

I think I may have just talked myself into this one... it's an occupational hazard.

Swagbucks: Get an extra 20 SBs when you join today!

I've mentioned Swagbucks before, but today they're offering a special deal, so I thought I'd tell you about it. Swagbucks is a search-and-win website that awards you points for searching online and completing special offers, which you can use to buy merchandise and (more importantly) gift cards from Amazon, Paypal, Starbucks, and more. You can sign up here (full disclosure: that's my referral link and when you sign up and earn points, it awards me points, too). Read my online review of it if you want to learn more. I earn enough points for $25 worth of Amazon gift cards a month, enough for a little personal shopping spree every month.

Today, Swagbucks is running a special offer: if you join today, use code SweetTweeting on the homepage, and you'll get an extra 20 SBs! That's 50 Swagbucks to start instead of 30, and since a $5 Amazon gift card costs 450 SBs, you'll be well on your way.

Last but not least, if you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you'll see the Swagbucks widget. This little gadget tracks SB promo codes that are available on the SB blog, Twitter, Facebook, and more, so it's a handy thing to check throughout the day. If you like free stuff, then I think you'll like Swagbucks!

Information: Recycle those used-up gift cards!

In our modern lives, we acquire lots and lots of plastic cards: not just gift cards (which the issuing stores don't want back and will only pitch into the trash), but bus passes, membership cards, shopper loyalty cards, and so on. Just this week, I saw a coworker give another coworker a $5 Starbucks card as a thank-you for a work project - a nice gesture, but pretty wasteful from an environmental standpoint, since very few people bother to save and reload spent cards.

Good news - those cards can be recycled! Not by putting them in your recycle bin, because they're PVC and not coded for regular recycling - but you can send your dead cards to Earthworks, where they melt them down into plastic slurry and remake sheets of plastic that can be turned into new cards with minimal waste. What Earthworks really wants is to partner with companies that can send them bulk quantities of used cards, but they'll also accept donations from individuals.

So the next time you use up a gift card or renew your AAA membership, don't just toss the old card - keep them until you have a stash, join up with friends, and send off a batch to Earthworks. Now that's the gift that keeps on giving.

****

You can mail plastic cards to:

Earthworks c/o Halprin Ind.
25840 Miles Rd.
Bedford, Oh 44146

• Please just send plastic cards - no rubber bands, paper clips, or paper.
• Please put a label or hand-write the name of your organization on the package so we can track it.
  
  

Restaurant.com: $25 gift certificates for $2.

I've written about Restaurant.com before — usually with a grain of salt — but since the last time I posted about it, a friend of mine purchased one and cashed it in successfully, so I'm feeling more confident about it now. $25 "gift certificates" are going for $2 with promo code SUMMER, through June 24.

Remember, the deal is that you're effectively paying $2 for a $25-off-a-minimum-purchase-of-$xx coupon, usually with some additional restrictions (e.g., alcohol and tip don't count toward the total). The most common minimum purchase is $35, so you'd be paying $12 out of pocket for $35 worth of food ($2 "gift certificate" price + $10 difference). But some of the places have a much higher minimum purchase or other restrictions, so read the terms carefully for a restaurant before you buy! OK, that's it for my stern mom lecture. Don't do drugs!!

Borders: Buy 2 $25 gift cards, get a $10 gift card free.

It's June, and you know what that means... in addition to all the regular b-days or anniversaries you might be celebrating, there's also Father's Day (June 20) and lots of graduations. Borders wants to help you out with a bit of a discount on its gift cards: buy two $25 gift cards and get a $10 one free.

This really opens up the possibilities. You could give one to your dad, one to a grad, and keep the $10 one to blow on yourself. You could use the $10 to buy gift-card holders AND a cupcake-scented pen to sign them with. Or, if you have a bunch of young relatives graduating this year, give the $10 card to the one you like least and call it a life lesson. They'll thank you someday.

Target: 5 Pepsi 12-pks for $15, + $5 Target gift card.

I just happened to see this deal in the Target weekly ad - check your ad to see if you have it too. On the very last page (or wherever the food specials are), there's a sale on Pepsi sodas: get five 12-packs of cans for $15 ($3 each, already a good deal) and then get a $5 Target gift card on top of that!

Five 12-packs sounds like a lot, but that includes regular Pepsi, diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper (and diet), that weird Pepsi Max, and probably even more that I'm forgetting. If you plan on having just one BBQ or party this summer, you'll be totally covered with something for everyone! And you can keep that gift card all to yourself.

Swagbucks: earn Amazon gift cards just by searching!

Today is a painfully slow day in the freebieverse, so I'm going to do what I normally do when things are slow: talk about Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search-and-win website that awards you points for searching online and completing special offers, which you can use to buy merchandise and (more importantly) gift cards from Amazon, Paypal, Starbucks, and more. You can sign up here (full disclosure: that's my referral link and when you sign up and earn points, it awards me points, too). Read my online review of it if you want to learn more.

I earn enough points for $25 worth of Amazon gift cards a month, enough for a little personal shopping spree every month.

Plus, if you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you'll see the Swagbucks widget. This little gadget tracks SB promo codes that are available on the SB blog, Twitter, Facebook, and more, so it's a handy thing to check throughout the day. If you like free stuff, then I think you'll like Swagbucks!