Carrie Rocha from PocketYourDollars.com watches for great deals for us all year long, and she is our go-to resource for holiday shopping too. Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Carrie's got it all covered for you.
So, before you buy, start with Carrie's Cyber Monday memo.

Got a specific question? Leave a message on Carrie's Facebook page and she'll try to answer it for you--and anyone else who is looking to get the best deal.

Happy Shopping!

Looking for a white elephant gift for the holidays? Check this out!



Who couldn't use the UpRight Sleeper? A neck brace that lets you sleep while sitting up. That’s right. With this amazing gadget, now you don't have to bother lying down to catch a few ZZZs. It costs $30 -- and a bit of you dignity -- but it can be fitted to go around the forehead or under the chin.

Here you can't resist the urge to buy, get details on UprightSleeper.com

Check out the deals we got today from Carrie Rocha of PocketYourDollars.com. 
 
Double Coupons on Gasoline
Here’s a pretty easy way to save as much as $0.20/gallon on gas. Every Tuesday SuperAmerica gas stations will give you double the discount on any gas coupon you present. This includes competitor’s coupons. Show a coupon for $0.10 off per gallon and they’ll give you $0.20 off. To keep up with the Joneses’ many Holiday Station stores will do the same thing, but you have to ask. To get gas coupons check the Valpak flyers in your mailbox, back of grocery receipts or sign up for Holiday and Kwik Trip’s emails.

California Pizza Kitchen — Free Pizza for Veterans and Active Military
All veterans and active military can have a free pizza at California Pizza Kitchen on Sunday, 11/11 (Veterans Day) or Monday, 11/12. Enjoy any pizza from the menu along with a non-alcoholic beverage when you bring in your military ID or proof of service, or just show up in uniform. Find a California Pizza Kitchen location near you

Monopoly – the board game
Now through Christmas I will let you know when I see a super amazing, almost free item that would make a great gift. How about the game board Monopoly to start? This week you buy two games at Toys R Us for $5 each, then submit a Hasbro mail-in rebate to get a $5 check back. You’ll spend $2.50 per game on something whose retail price is $18.99.

Check out what one of the boys made for mom underneath the video.
 
First, spit 'em if you've got 'em. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, they'll all work for this one. The kids who joined us at The Garden By the Woods in Chanhassen had a great time with the seed-spitting contest.
 

Keep this idea in your back pocket for when the family invades for the holidays. Can the kids spit farther than Grandma? Now there's a question that will perk up a few ears. 

Check out other photos from our day at The Garden By the Woods
 

I guess it's not officially a terrarium, since we don't have a glass top, but these little plants at The Garden By the Woods reminded me of a big jug my mom used to have on the console stereo in our house in Royalton. (I remember her using a hanger to plant the little buggers.) One of the Olsen boys bought a few mini plants for their mom. I think he did a pretty good job. If you go to The Garden By the Woods, ask Laura about how you can actually use these little plants in a frame on the way. Pretty cool stuff.

 
Here are the links to deals we heard about from Carrie Rocha of PocketYourDollars.com

Free Redbox Video Game Rental
Receive a text code for a free rental...

$50 off a $50+ order of holiday cards
Fans of high-quality, unique holiday cards will be excited about this deal: Minted.com has a couple of offers that can be combined for $50 off a holiday card order of $50 or more.

Helping your kids earn some money from their Halloween candy
A ton of area dentists have partnered with a non-profit called Operation Gratitude to buy back your child’s Halloween candy.

Here are the links to the deals we got today from Carrie Rocha of PocketYourDollars.com:

Donate Blood and Get Free ValleySCARE Admission
Valleyfair’s first Halloween Haunt Blood Drive is this Saturday, 10/27, and any individual who donates blood from 12-4pm will receive a free same-day admission ticket into ValleySCARE. Pre-registration is encouraged. To schedule an appointment, go to the Red Cross website and enter sponsor code 0177783 or call 1.800.733.2767(1-800-RED CROSS).

Free $5 Office Depot Gift Card
Download the Wrapp app to your Android or iOS device and connect it to your Facebook account to receive afree $5 Office Depot gift card. The gift card is good for 30 days in-store only.

Free Pizza from Sbarro
When Sbarro reaches 100,000 “likes” on Facebook, they will have a free pizza promotion for their fans, in addition to donation lunches to food banks. The specifics of the free pizza aren’t clear yet, but we thought we’d mention it in case you wanted to “like” them and be first to know.

I used a clip of this video to announce Journey as the rOctober Artist of the Day on 10/19. Here's the whole story on how Journey found their new lead singer--Arnel Pineda. A rock and roll dream come true.

Here are the details on the Phantom's Feast show that Jim Cummingham talked about this morning.
 
Jim's created a one-man show called "Dark Carnival" that takes you on a journey through the spooky, twisted places of his mind and the things that have fascinated him since childhood! Enjoy dinner at Bad Manor and explore a Spirit Seance, The Salem Witch Trials, Harry Houdini and much more...together. All that-- and a great meal.

Here are the links to the deals we heard about from Carrie Rocha of PocketYourDollars.com.

Free meal at Benihana
It was my birthday yesterday and of all the birthday freebies out there, my favorite is the free meal at Benihana. Join their email newsletter and you’ll get be sent a coupon for $30 off a good Monday – Thursday during the month of your birthday.

Free School Break Fun
Tonight you can get in free to the MN Landscape Arboretum and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts since it is the 3rd Thursday of the month. The Arboretum is free after 4:30 and the Art museum is free after 6 pm.

Free Tooth Fairy Kids’ Club
Would your child love to get a letter from the Tooth Fairy? All the kids in the free America’s ToothFairy Kids Club receive free personalized letters from the Tooth Fairy, plus some educational  activities about teeth, since healthy teeth is really important to the Tooth Fairy.