Great Deals on Anything

Save money on gas, cars, clothes videos, shoes, textbooks, and more

You're paying for something online- a shirt, suit, or scarf- and notice a place to key in a code for a discount.  But what are these secret codes, and where can you find them?                                 They're at www.retailmenot.com,  and it takes almost no time or effort to search- alphabetically or by category or store (there are over 10,000 stores listed).  The site offers codes for home products, sporting goods, luggage, food, and even Halloween costumes.  We found codes to get $10 off a $100 order at www.homedepot.com,  15 percent off purchases at the sporting-goods store www.modells.com  and $20 off a two-night stay booked through www.hotels.com. Before you pay for an item you want on a site, check www.retailmenot.com first to see if there's a code.  The discount codes work for online sales only, but the site has thriving printable coupons section.            Codes come and go, often timed by the season.  Some offers have fine print that excludes certain brands.  Also check out www.currentcodes.com  ( stores are listed alphabetically), www.keycode.com (for the latest offer, sign up for RSS feeds) and www.rather-be-shopping.com  (the site updates coupon codes daily)

At www.fatwallet.com,  you buy and it pays you back- no joke.  This site gets a commission for steering you to participating retailer, and it shares a portion of that commission with you in the form of cash back.                              Recent rebates included 2.5 percent from www.toolking.com,  5 percent from www.fabric.com,  and 7 percent form gardeners. com.  To get your rebate, sign on to FatWallet, go to its Cash Back & Coupons page, then select a store.  Click on the store's link and complete your purchase in the window that opens.  The down side: Cash back, yes Miracles, no.  The site doesn't take your rebate off at check out.  It's a rebate, so it can take three weeks to post the cash in your Fat Wallet to cough up the dough via check or PayPal.  Still, it is free money.