Message to New Subscribers

First off, welcome! It is always great to have new subscribers. If you signed up to receive daily email updates but have not been receiving them, it is because you have not verified your account. When you sign up and provide your email address, an email will then be sent to you asking you to verify that you want to subscribe to Around The Town by clicking on the link. You must complete this process to begin receiving your daily updates. Thanks, Barb.

Cash In On Old Electronics at Best Buy

Now you can trade in your old electronics, from an old iPod to a Nook at Best Buy, and get some money or credit back. Does not matter where you bought them. Check out www.bestbuy.com/tradein to see what your items are worth. You can then ship them to the company with a prepaid label or you can also bring them to a participating store. You can either choose a rebate gift card or a check (worth a lesser value than the rebate gift card). This is a great way to score an upgrade or apply the money to new items.

Check Around The Town on Facebook for Last-Minute Bargains

The beauty of facebook for a blogger is that you can get the word out on a last-minute deal in a flash. I use my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/BarbAroundTheTown to do just that. If you have not signed up for Around The Town updates on facebook yet (by "liking")- please check it out. You will find very different content from the regular blog page, and it is very up-to-date with the freshest, most current offers, some only available that very day. So please join me there today!

Welcome New Subscribers...

Welcome to all our new subscribers! I hope that you are enjoying receiving your daily Around The Town update in your email inbox. Please be sure you have clicked the confirmation link (comes in separate email after you sign up) to activate your membership. Have you "liked" us on facebook yet? If not, please join us! Discover more original daily content there.

Free Valuable Grocery Coupons Available at Around The Town

When you check Around The Town's blog, are you in the habit of checking out the coupons.com offerings? I check back often, as they often change. Today when I visited, there were new coupons for Hormel chili, Butterball turkeys, Betty Crocker cookie pouches, Yoplait yogurt, Hormel bacon bits, Oregon Chai, Lloyd's BBQ ribs, Tone body wash, Pillsbury Grands, and many many more. I encourage you to go to the main page and click on the coupons.com banner ad often. Plug in your zip code and the most relevant coupons will pop up for you- simply click the ones you want and print.

Save Money On Your Energy Bill

Use these tips to save energy (and money), while staying warm:

• Have your gas furnace inspected at least once a year by your utility or licensed heating contractor. Some utilities offer this service for FREE.



• Replace or clean the furnace filter monthly or as recommended by the manufacturer.



• Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 55 or lower at night.



• If you need to heat a small area, consider using a portable space heater instead of your central furnace. Don't forget to unplug it when you leave the room or go to sleep.



• Insulate properly, caulk where needed, weatherstrip.



• Close window coverings at night to help keep heat indoors and open them during the day so the sun can warm your house.

Get More for Your Money on Vacation with VRBO

Tired of fitting your family/friends into a plain jane hotel room without all the comforts of home? Try http://www.vrbo.com/ next time you hit the road. For about the same price as a hotel, sometimes even less, you can rent a fully furnished house, cabin or condo where you can spread out, cook, and feel at home. Sometimes they even offer things like bikes, beach chairs, etc. for renters' use. There are rentals available all over the world. One difference from a hotel is that they tack on a cleaning fee at the end of your stay, but it is usually under $100. Try it!