The day is swiftly approaching, but there’s still time to get in on the savings with special Valentines shopping offers from the MEVIO Network. Here are just a few of the opportunities for savings.

As any guy with half a clue will tell you, one word really says it all: Jewelry. Save 20% on your purchases with our Diamond.com coupon. Save on diamonds, fine jewelry and more.

Or if you’re looking for savings on fashion jewelry, take a look at the top Valentine’s Day jewelry at Walmart.com  and save when you shop online with our Walmart coupons.

And what Valentine’s celebration would be complete without flowers? Our Fleurop coupon will save you 20% on international flower delivery from the world’s largest florist when you place your order online.

If you need actual Valentines at this point, take a look at the selection at Overstock. It’s always name brand products at clearance prices from Overstock.com, and you’ll save even more with our Overstock promo code offers.

Here’s a great idea. Why not throw a Valentine’s party? You’ll find everything you need, decorations, balloons, banners, tableware, party favors, even personalized items and tiaras (that’s right – tiaras) at Shindigz. Save 10% on your order of $85 or more with our Shindigz coupon code. And be sure to check out their deal of the day for savings of up to 80%.

Of course, the savings don’t end on February 14th. Check back often for the latest discounts, coupons and promo codes from MEVIO.

XOXOXO

First of all, isn’t it time that you watched your sports in style with an HDTV flat screen? You’ll save up to 15% on select TVs with our Best Buy coupons. They also offer free delivery, hook up and recycling on any HDTV purchase of $999 and up. Shop all of the top brands like Samsung, Panasonic, Sony BRAVIA, LG and more. Whether you’re looking for a flat panel monitor or an entire home theater system, you’ll find great gear at discount prices from Best Buy.

Ready to gear up for your own sporting activities? We can help with that too. Our Eastbay coupons will save you up to 20% on everything you need for competition, as well as fan gear and cool shoes and apparel to keep you stylin’ courtside or after the game as well. It’s always the highest quality merchandise from all of your favorite brands at Eastbay.com, and the best discounts on the Web with our coupons.

They set ‘em up, and you knock ‘em down at AMF Bowling centers. Since the introduction of the automated pinspotter in 1946, AMF has been a leader in the bowling industry and they’re now the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the world, with multi-lane ten-pin bowling for all ages. Have some fun with friends and family and save on your game with our AMF Bowling coupons.

Finally, don’t let the best moments of your glory days on the lanes, field or court fade from your memory. Save on Kodak EasyShare digital cameras and services from Kodak Gallery with our Kodak coupons. Share your pictures and videos with a push of the button, and enjoy free storage and download of your high resolution images. You’ll save on professional Kodak prints as well as gifts and other items you create with your images at Kodak Gallery. Celebrate your Kodak Moments today.

Whether you’re rooting for the Saints, the Colts, just want to see the halftime show, or couldn’t care less, have fun this weekend, and get out and play some yourself if you can. We’ll have plenty of new offers when you get back.

It’s another of our occasional posts to introduce you to some of the incredible independent producers who bring you great entertainment and information on the MEVIO Network. This time around we turn our attention to the man who is single-handedly bringing back pirate radio, creator of UC Radio and Sonic Wallpaper, the incomparable Mike Yusi.

For more than four years now, Mike has been bringing his unique personality and his nose for the best new music to earbuds around the world. A native of Los Angeles, and a self described “survivor of the Hollywood Rock Scene” of the 1980s and 90s, he’s spun thousands of songs from incredibly talented and creative unsigned and Indie artists on UC Radio, giving them exposure to a brand new audience. His listeners not only hear the latest and best from the Indie scene, but also reviews of some great old albums that everyone should know, but that might have escaped notice. It’s all presented with Mike’s one of a kind style, which incorporates his passion for music, a wry sense of humor, an iconoclastic streak and a sincere commitment to his listeners.

In addition to his own productions, you may have heard Mike as co-host (with creator Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff) of “the most offensively enlightened podcast on the planet” – Pacific Coast Hellway. He’s also worked extensively with others in the new media field, writing, performing and generally lending a helping hand (or voice) whenever asked. Anyone who knows Mike will tout his generous nature and good spirit. Besides donating proceeds from UC Radio show swag to the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society, Mike is always one of the first to promote other opportunities to help others, including most recently the crisis in Haiti.

Mike has been affiliated with the MEVIO Network since July, 2005, offering savings to his listeners from a diverse array of sponsors, including Nurtisystem, GoDaddy, Eastbay, Angie’s List, IX Webhosting, Petco, and 1800 Pet Meds. Mike told us “I can’t say enough about the sponsors and what they mean to my shows. And the great thing is that Mevio has allowed me to go with sponsors that I myself use, and really believe in, so it’s easy to promote their products.”

Mike’s flagship show, UC Radio, is a mix of rockin’ new tunes, classic album reviews (Mike calls them “referrals”), and a humorous look at society, politics, the music industry, our culture and our times. You’ll also hear anecdotes and reminiscences from Mike’s own life, the occasional poem (usually made up on the spot), stories about his sunbathing dog, and now and again, Mike puts out a  “UC Radio Late Night Classics”, recording the show late at night, usually with the lights off, and a few cocktails under his belt. Think seedy Hollywood, red leather booth lounge as the backdrop.

Mike describes UC Radio as his tribute to the pirate radio community of California in the 70s and 80s that he grew up listening to, and likes to brag that it is “banned in China for indecent and immoral content.”

Wait a minute, Mike. Is it really?

“Yes, it really is!”

Mike’s unwavering dedication to sharing great music, and his ear for the best unheard bands out there are a winning combination, offering listeners an exceptional sonic experience week after week, and providing artists a venue for getting their work out to new fans around the world.

For a huge business concern with your own I.T. department, chances are that the in-house dataheads will already have taken everything into account and would be more than happy to present the pros and cons of various providers if you ask. All of the pros and cons. In minute detail. For several hours. With charts. Have fun with that.

If, however, you’re shopping for hosting for your own personal site or weblog, or if you want to put up a site for your small business, the sheer number of options available boggle the mind. How to even narrow them down? Fret not. Here’s a simple checklist of things to consider when selecting a host.

The Most Important Considerations

Uptime Guarantee – Your hosting arrangement should provide fast, reliable access to your site. Whether the site is there for making money or as a means of personal expression (or both), it’s not doing its job if people can’t see it. Look for uptime approaching 99.9% or at least in excess of 99.5%, and look for a guarantee in the terms of service, so that your costs are discounted or you receive a refund of some sort if your site is down for more than the stated percentage.

Support – Speedy access to technical support for your site is essential, and since things seem to go wrong at the worst possible time, it’s important to have around the clock support, every day of the year. Thoroughly research the tech support provisions your prospective provider offers, and make sure they match your own needs and level of expertise.

Value – Obviously, you’ll want to obtain hosting at the lowest possible price for the service you expect. This can be a tricky thing to evaluate, since you’ll need to compare the type and quality of services you’ll be receiving in order to do a fair comparison of price between providers. The main thing to keep in mind is that in general, you get what you pay for with hosting since competition is so fierce. This doesn’t necessarily mean that more expensive is always “better” though. Depending on your needs, more costly options such as “dedicated servers” or other often-touted hosting arrangements may not be necessary. The trick is to have a pretty clear idea of what you need, and then review the hosting plans side-by-side as much as possible to compare relative value. Apples, oranges, etc.

Other Important Features

Traffic Allowance, Storage Space and Resource Usage – In addition to the amount of disk space that will be available to host the pages, databases, media files and other components of your site, you’ll need to be aware of the limits for data transfer and resource usage in your hosting package. Most small sites that are not media rich will have way less than 3 GB per month in traffic (that is to say, the amount of data served by the host to people who visit your site). In fact, the vast majority of sites on the World Wide Web consume less than 5 GB per month. Still, it’s important to understand the limits and make sure that you don’t get hit with penalty charges for exceeding them.

Access and Management – Will you need access to the site via FTP (File Transfer Protocol), Telnet, etc.? Does the host offer a web-based control panel or dashboard that’s easy to use and fits your needs? What sort of statistics and analysis programs are offered? Look for at least the ability to manage things like security, email accounts, and FTP support yourself. You don’t want to be calling tech support every time you need to change a password. Look for a demonstration or screen captures of the management interface to see if it suits your needs.

Operating System and Programs – For basic, HTML-based websites, these won’t likely be of concern, but if you’re planning on a weblog or a script rich site, you may need to check for the inclusion of Perl, PHP, MySQL, etc. Much of the time support for programming languages is included in hosting packages without additional charge, but often databases are only available for an extra fee, or there may be a limit on the number of databases you can have for free. Check the fine print in your prospective host’s terms of service if any of this is important to you. Additionally, keep in mind that Unix operating systems tend to be more feature rich and stable, but if you’re site uses .ASP files they will require a Windows Server.

SSL – If you’re doing business online that requires a secure site, check to make sure your prospective host offers SSL transport layer security and how much it costs.

Email, Multiple Domain Support, Etc. – If you’re planning to have an email address associated with your site’s domain name, you’ll want to check out the email features offered. Is there a limit on the number of addresses you can have? Can you forward email from the server to another account? What are the software compatibility requirements? Is there a web-based email program offered?

Also, will you be allowed to set up additional domains or subdomains using the same hosting account? The ability to at least use additional subdomains can be a very handy addition to a site. Check to see what is allowed and whether or not there are additional costs involved.

Users Rule

When it comes to selecting a hosting provider, the value, services offered and terms of service are the most important considerations, but how do you know they’ll deliver? One of your best resources will be the user reviews you’ll find out on the Web. Yes, some reviewers will have an axe to grind, and you have to take into account relative levels of expertise, but taken together, the experience of actual customers will help you predict what kind of service you might receive. Do a search for “web hosting reviews” and you’ll find any number of credible, reliable sites with reviews and data about your prospective hosting providers.

The process of finding the right provider for your site can be daunting, but if you take a little time to investigate and compare, you’re much more likely to find fast, reliable hosting that meets your needs at a reasonable price.

Shoebuy is a shoe lover’s paradise, with the largest selection of footwear available anywhere in the world, online or off. They maintain over $3.5 Billion in inventory from more than 1,000 top brands with the most styles per brand, the broadest range of colors and sizes and always the most up to date fashions.

It’s risk-free shopping at Shoebuy too, with free shipping, free returns and exchanges, and a 100% price guarantee. Add to that fast and easy ordering and excellent customer service and it’s no wonder that Shoebuy was awarded the BizRate “Circle of Excellence” Platinum Award six years in a row.

Whatever your style, size, age or gender, Shoebuy has the footwear you want – men, women, teens, kids, even infants and toddlers. Wide or narrow foot? No problem. Shoebuy has you covered from heel to toe, and even more. They’ve got an astounding stock of bags, accessories, apparel and outerwear as well. How about a North Face jacket to help beat the cold? Or getaway with luggage from High Sierra and other top brands. You’ll be truly amazed at the selection available. We certainly were.

Shoebuy also gives back, supporting various charitable organizations such as Two Ten Footwear Foundation, The United Way, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and more. You can read more about their charitable initiatives on the Shoebuy Weblog. We like doing business with a company like that.

So the next time you’re in need of a new pair of athletic shoes, loafers, fashion shoes, cowboy boots or what have you, take advantage of our Shoebuy promotional code for savings of 10% on your order. Remember that you’ll get free shipping too, and you’ll be shopping in convenience and confidence from the largest site for shoes on the Web.

First of all, if you’re serious about taking advantage of the widest selection of promotional offers, it pays to do some basic research on sites that track or promote valid codes. Some sites simply report information on codes that are available from other sources or allow users to swap codes they have found, and some sites (such as MEVIO Offers) promote their own exclusive discount offers made available through relationships with merchants or manufacturers. It’s useful to get to know which sites consistently offer the best, most current and valid codes. Browse around until you find reliable sites focusing on items of interest to you and then bookmark them and visit often to take advantage of the latest deals. You might also want to sign up for email newsletters or subscribe to the RSS feeds from your favorite sites so that you don’t miss any of those hot new offers.

You’ll also want to do some comparison shopping when it comes time to buy. Take a few minutes to determine which deal will save you the most. Since some codes offer a percentage discount, some offer a dollar amount discount and some offer things like free shipping, you may need to do a little math to figure out which code is best for what you’re planning to purchase. Make sure you review information concerning expiration dates, conditions, exclusions, minimum purchase requirements, etc. when you do your comparison. A short time spent in comparing offers can make a big difference in the bottom line.

You should also be prepared to dig a little deeper for the deepest discount codes. In addition to monitoring your favorite coupon sites and merchants, look beyond the first page of results when you do searches for specific offers. Sometimes the biggest sites with top search rankings aren’t always the best deals. Again, a little research and comparison can really pay off.

When you find an exceptional bargain, why not share it with your family, friends and associates? Some of the very best discounts available are spread through word of mouth (or “word of mouse”) between folks who trust  and support each other. You might eventually develop your own personal savings code network. Of course, there’s also a lot of information exchanged on Internet forums dedicated to shopping and couponing, at least some of which is useful and reliable. They key is to find sources of good info and to share what you find yourself. A group of people working together to keep abreast of the latest offers will turn up killer deals that a single individual working alone might never uncover.

If you make a habit of looking for promotional codes and discounts whenever you shop, you’re sure to save big dollars over the course of the year. Happy hunting!

It all starts with a budget. Taking a little time to create a realistic household budget will reward you with the power to prioritize your spending toward things you truly need and want. Start with the costs that are absolute necessities such as housing, food and transportation, then include other anticipated expenses. If possible, include some savings each month as well, even if it’s only a small amount at first. There are numerous software or web based tools that make it simple to create your budget, or a simple spreadsheet will do the trick. If you create a budget and resolve to stick with it, even for a week or two, you may be surprised at where your money is actually going, and will likely find simple things you can do to save.

Watch what you eat. No, we don’t mean necessarily eat less or healthier. What we’re talking about is saving on food costs, one of the top three components of your household budget. It’s estimated that the typical U.S. household spends up to 15% of their budget on groceries. Take a look at our posts on saving with grocery coupons and loyalty cards for tips on reducing  your food costs. While you’re at it, yes – healthier choices like fresh fruits and vegetables generally do cost less than fat laden pre-prepared meals or eating out – so you can probably boost your financial and physical health at the same time by adjusting your diet accordingly.

Shop around. Before you make any purchase, take the time to shop for the best price and the best discounts. A little research and comparison can make a huge difference in the bottom line, and the Web is an incredible resource for finding the best deals. Our site is a wealth of opportunity when it comes to saving on everything from every day necessities to major purchases, so be sure to include it when you’re shopping for discounts online.

Cut the incidentals and add-ons. If you’re in true commando budget slashing mode, take a look at any ongoing expenses for things that you really don’t need or use. Review your credit card statements. Are there any recurring fees that you’ve completely forgotten about? Look for club memberships or subscription fees. How about your home phone or cell phone bills? Are there additional services there that you don’t often use? Or why not review your cable plan? You might decide that you can do without those 117 extra channels that you seldom watch. Look around the house for magazines that you don’t read, etc. You may be shocked at how quickly the savings of a few dollars here and there being spent on things you don’t even use can add up to real money.

Save your savings. As mentioned earlier, getting into the habit of regular savings, whatever the amount, is an essential component of financial health. It offers a measure of security and helps you prepare for unanticipated setbacks, whether in the form of car repairs, loss of a job, medical expenses or whatever. Take a look at your budget, and determine a realistic amount that you can put in savings every month, and then think of it as another bill. Even if it’s only $15 or $20 at first, start getting in the habit. It adds up quicker than most people realize, and if you have it automatically transferred from your checking account to savings, you’ll be less likely tempted to spend it.

There are literally hundreds of other steps you might take to boost your financial health in the new year, but these five tips are a good start toward a new financial you in 2010. Good luck!

Nearly three-quarters of all shoppers in the United States now belong to at least one loyalty program. Companies typically design these programs to reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior from customers.

These days, “advantage cards” or “rewards cards” usually have a bar code or magnetic strip that can be scanned when you checkout. They may offer discounts on particular items immediately, or reward certain purchases in other ways. For instance, a supermarket may give you a free gallon of milk after you purchase nine. Or you might accumulate points with your purchases that can be redeemed for gifts or credits for use in the store.

It makes sense if you’re already a “loyal” customer of a particular firm to take advantage of these discounts. It generally takes a minimal amount of time to sign up for the programs, and the personal information they collect from you is fairly limited as well. Do be aware that although information about your own individual shopping behaviors shouldn’t be disclosed to other organizations except in the aggregate, it may be used to “optimize” offers made to you. In other words, if you routinely purchase certain brands or items, the firm might market certain similar or complementary items to you. Depending on the program they may also send you information by mail or email. If you have concerns about collection and disclosure of personal information or have objections to receiving offers by mail or email make sure you read the disclosure statement for the program before signing up.

In addition to rewards programs for individual firms, you might also want to check out some of the online programs available such as MyPoints or eBates. There are even rewards programs that allow you to make donations to charity. Don’t forget the “earn back” provisions available from many credit card companies.

As with other opportunities for savings, you’ll want to make sure you understand the rules of any particular rewards program before you sign up, and only shop or use rewards for things you actually need. Since most firms see a rewards program as a normal cost of doing business, you’ll likely find one that will save you money on many of the things you’re already buying.

Unlike unsolicited bulk email offers for deals on things such as indoor pet potties and knockoff watches, the coupons we’re talking about are sent only to consumers who have volunteered (or “opted-in”) to receive them. This approach has several advantages to traditional marketing methods. Since a person can choose which offers to accept, it increases the relevancy of offers they receive, and the advertiser knows there will be more potential for them to take advantage of the offer. Also, with the variety and mobility of personal communications devices now available to us, we can often access our coupons right at the point of purchase.

So how do you opt-in to the deals you really want? It’s really fairly simple.

First of all, if there are certain brands, store or restaurants to which you are already fairly loyal, you’re likely to find an opportunity to sign up for email newsletters of various sorts on their websites. Sometimes you can even select various options or take a short survey to help them determine what offers will be of most interest to you. If the site offers shopping online, you can usually sign up for notification of special offers when you set up an account on the site. For those that don’t offer online shopping, you can still usually sign up for an email newsletter of some sort, or click to connect with them on social networking sites.

If you’re simply interested in exploring what is available out there, do a search for something like “email newsletter coupons.” You’ll find returns for everything from free yogurt and submarine sandwiches to discounts for lodging, department stores and common household necessities.

Another opportunity to opt-in for offers usually comes when you go online to register a product you’ve purchased for warranty purposes.

Much of the time, the offers you receive via opt-in will not only be more relevant to you, but they are often the best and most exclusive deals available.

After you sign up, be sure that your offers don’t get caught in your spam filters. You can either add the sender to your address list so it’s recognized, or be on the alert for anything marked as junk and whitelist the email manually after it comes in.

One other thing worth mentioning is that if you ever do get tired of receiving these offers, it’s usually a simple process to opt-out. Most reputable firms and sites include a link at the bottom of every email sent that allows you to click and unsubscribe.

First of all, plan ahead. Planning menus for the entire week based on sales fliers and coupons will not only help you take advantage of savings, but will also help you avoid additional trips to the grocery which are a drain on both your food and your transportation budget. Planning ahead will also help you avoid impulse buys which can cost you more.

Find the best sources of coupons and information. Nearly three-quarters of all grocery coupons are found in the newspaper, so knowing when the coupons and sale ads come out and picking up those days’ copies is usually a good investment. You can also check online at your grocer’s website where they often advertise their best deals. The Web is also a good source for printable coupons, both from stores and individual brands. Some stores also let you link your frequent shopper card to electronic coupons available on the Web.

While you’re at it, why not shop online? Web-based grocery retailers offer many of the same items you’ll find in your local grocer or supermarket, often at significant savings. You’ll find online grocery coupons for several leading grocery retailers here on our offers site.

Learn the rules. Does your grocery store offer to double coupons on certain days? Do they have in-store coupons available in the aisles? How about deals where you can buy one item and get the second for free or for half price? Some stores even offer to match published prices of other stores in the area. Learn the policies at multiple stores to see where you’ll get the best deals overall. Knowing the ins and outs of your local grocers will help you take advantage of every possible discount.

Only use coupons for things you really need anyway. Whether it’s a good deal or not, spending money on something that you don’t need or won’t use is no bargain. This is especially true of bulk items that might go to waste before you use them.

Watch the items ring up. After you’ve gone to all the trouble to plan your shopping, you’ll want to make sure that your items (whether on sale, with coupons or not) scan with the correct price. Some stores will actually give you an item for free if it rings up at the wrong price. It pays to keep an eagle eye on the scanner.

Don’t forget to ask for rainchecks. If a sale or coupon item is out of stock when you shop, most stores will give you a raincheck to buy it on your next visit so you won’t miss out on the savings.

It does take a little thought and preparation to make the most out of grocery coupons and other savings opportunities, but getting into a routine for your grocery shopping that employs these few simple steps can have a huge impact on how much your household spends on one of the most significant aspects of your budget.