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Are you a paper coupon clipper or an electronic coupon clipper? There's a difference in clipping methods these days. Coupons.com reports that more than 40 million people print online coupons, which is a 20 percent increase from last year. This jump is driven largely by the economic slowdown, reports this free coupon Web site.

In March, there were more online coupons printed for cereal than for any other product, based on Coupons.com users.

Here are the top 10 products for which consumers printed coupons in March. How do these match up with the grocery and other items that you're trying to save money on each month?

1. Ready to eat cereal

2. Baby products

3. Baking ingredients

4. Nutritional/diet items

5. Yogurt

6. Entertainment

7. Dessert items

8. Laundry supplies

9. Carbonated soft drinks

10. Personal care items

It's Earth Day and you know what that means. Many retailers use Earth Day to market their eco-friendly efforts. Locally, there are discounts and giveaways at some stores in honor of Earth Day. If you know of other local Earth Day deals, share them with us.

Macy's: April 25th is the day to go shopping for an environmental cause at Macy's stores. The department store retailer holds its national charity shopping event this Saturday, called One Good Turn. By donating $5 at Macy's stores or at www.macys.com, you'll receive an all-day shopping discount for 20 percent off most merchandise, and 10 percent off home items. You'll also get $5 off a $15 store-wide purchase on that day.

Macy's will donate 100 percent of these ticket sales to the National Park Foundation and other local nonprofits that focus on protecting and conserving the environment.

Also, today, the first 150 kids to visit the Macy's children's department will receive a free Kid Power Activity Book from the National Park Foundation. It teaches children ways to keep the Earth healthy.

Handle with Care Packaging Store of Roanoke: This store on Brambleton Avenue is offering $2 vouchers that are good towards a UPS or FedEx shipment, in honor of Earth Day.

The retailer also is giving advice on ways to reduce material consumption. Here are some of the tips:

--Adjust the default size on a word processing program to use a smaller font and wider margins. This will help you to fit more text onto the page.

--Recycle corrugated cardboard.

--Use the smallest box for your packaging to reduce the amount of packaging material needed.

--Choose ground transportation when shipping a package. Trucks emit less emissions than airplanes.

Today is a big day for free giveways.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream is giving free scoops of ice ceam at its shops at Valley View Mall in Roanoke and at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg.

The chain created this giveaway event to thank its customers and to celebrate its 31st anniversary.

Also, if you stop by a Dunkin Donuts location, you can buy a small iced coffee for 50 cents today. With this purchase, 10 percent of the price will go to support the Homes for our Troops program, which builds or adapts handicapped accessible homes for severely injured veterans.

Hey, everyone! I'm on vacation for the rest of this week. But you'll find fresh news here each day, so keep checking back.

Today, I thought it prudent to talk about frequent-shopper cards. These are the discount cards that you can sign up for at many chain retailers nowadays, not just the grocery store.

You can deem some pretty decent savings with these value cards from free movies to rebates on in-store and online purchases. An article in a recent edition of ShopSmart Magazine gave a rundown of frequent shopper cards with the best deals.

Here are some of them:

AMC Theaters: Earn two points for every movie ticket you buy; redeem 10 points for a small popcorn or 30 points for a free movie ticket.

CVS Pharmacy/Extra Care: Get a 2 percent rebate on every in-store and online purchase; receive $1 Extra Buck for every two prescriptions filled; receive discounts on items featured weekly.

PetSmart/PetPerks: Receive coupons, monthly exclusive online offers; discounts on some in-store items.

Regal Cinemas/Regal Crown Club: Get 1 point for every dollar spent on tickets and extra credit for concessions; redeem 50 points for a small popcorn or 150 points for one free admission.

Staples/Staples Rewards: Get 10 percent rebate on ink, toner, paper and copy and print services.

Toys "R"Us/Rewards "R" Us: Receive a $5 gift certificate for every $150 spent during select promotion periods, plus other discounts.

I've racked up some great discounts with my CVS Extra Care card.

If you use frequent shopper cards, let me know which ones have saved you money and offered the best deals.

Happy snow day. If you're heading out for some local shopping, keep in mind that some stores may adjust opening and closing schedules because of the wintry weather. I'll keep you updated if I learn of changes in hours at local shopping centers.

Here's some news that you can use this week. Another retailer is waving an incentive if you donate clothing to the needy. Starting today through Sunday, Ann Taylor Loft stores are collecting gently-worn pants to donate to local Goodwill Industries locations.

In exchange for your donation, you'll receive $15 off a pair of full-priced pants at Loft stores.

Click here for more details about the promotion.

Most of us are all about the deal finding right now. The latest issue of Shop Smart Magazine offered up a few Web sites that you can use to search for sales in a specific town or city.

I tried out the searches for "Roanoke," and they work pretty well, if you're hunting for general items, such as sales on coats.

Here are the Web sites:

http://www.thefind.com/

http://www.shoplocal.com/

http://www.yokel.com/

Presidential freebies are flying today with the inauguration of the 44th president. You can find free treats and deals at several national chain restaurants with local locations. Take advantage of these freebies and discounts before the day's end.

**Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is giving away a free doughnut of your choice, per customer, today.

**T.G.I. Friday's hosts what it calls the world's largest inauguration party. There are special deals on drinks and half price appetizers, with the purchase of an entree. And at 9 p.m., all restaurants will have a toast.

**Dunkin Donuts is selling new red, white and blue sprinkled Stars & Stripes doughnuts all this week, for 89 cents each.

Some interesting retail deals tied to the holidays have come across my desk in the past few days. If you're already thinking about ways to slim your holiday budget this year, these deals may help you out:

1) Digital prints are only 5 cents at Ritz Camera & Image locations through Christmas. This deal starts today and will be offered every Tuesday and Wednesday. Ritz Camera points out in a news release that black and white pictures were 5 cents each in the early 1940s. There are Ritz Camera locations in Roanoke, Blacksburg and Christiansburg.

2) I blogged last month about Claire V.'s plans to move to a new space in downtown Roanoke. Well, now it appears that this handbag retailer's new store won't be ready until after Christmas because of construction delays.  So, Twist & Turns, a downtown decor and furniture store, is reserving a section of its Campbell Avenue shop for Claire V. to sell its handbags and other creations, according to Claire V.

Also, Claire V. and Twist & Turns are planning a holiday promotion series, called the 12 Days of Christmas. On Tuesdays and Thursdays until Dec. 25, these retailers will send secret sales information to customers on Twist & Turns and Claire V. mailing lists. A portion of the proceeds from this promotion will benefit Bethany Hall, a local rehabilitation center for women recovering from substance abuse.  

Other special events include a kick-off party for the 12 days of Christmas promotion this Thursday and a pampering party on Dec. 2.

Restaurant deals are being tossed around with greater intensity lately. And some may or may not be related to the fact that Americans apparently aren’t eating out as much, according to some industry reports.

Here are some examples:

1) T.G.I. Friday's recently launched a loyalty program, called Give Me More Stripes. The membership benefits include a free appetizer or dessert upon sign-up, an $8 gift certificate for every $100 spent (excluding alcohol), communication about menu offers and a one time jump-the-line pass.

2) If you buy a drink in the morning at Starbucks locations, you’ll receive a receipt to return for a $2 iced beverage after 2 p.m. that same day. This is one of a series of recent Starbucks promotions.

In a recent report, Technomic, a food industry consulting firm based in Chicago, said that 35 percent of consumers are dining out less frequently than a year ago. Money woes are the reason. People are trying to save money, they have less money to spend, and they cited the high price of some restaurant menu items, according to Technomic.

“It’s vital for operators to provide consumers with added value incentives to maintain and grow their business,” said Darren Tristano, an executive vice president at Technomic, in a news release. “Consumers want to feel that their dinner experience is a good value regardless of the price point. Special offers, promotions, family-pack and combo meals promote that perception.”

Let me know what restaurant deals that you have noticed lately.

Retailers seem to be continuing a push this month to win your back-to-school shopping dollars. And Valley View Mall is doing this by marketing its Internet and mobile shopping service that started late last year.

From July 18 to Sept. 5, if you place an item on hold using the mall’s NearbyNow Web search or mobile messaging service, you will be eligible for certain prizes or for the chance to win the item that you put on hold.

Five shoppers each week will be chosen to win the mall items that they requested to be put on hold, from clothing to shoes.

The grand prizes include gift cards from Buckle and Metropark, iPhones and other mobile digital devices, USB flash drives and a Nintendo DS handheld game unit.

You can visit the mall’s Web site for more details on how to search for mall items’ availability and to put them on hold. To use the text messaging service, text Valley View at “VLV.” A series of exchanges will lead you to search for certain items that are on sale.
To have a mall store hold a particular item, text “Holdit” to 632729 (Nearby).

I also noticed another back-to-school and college related promotion. At Target, if you spend $50 on men, women, and children’s apparel, shoes, jewelry or handbags, you’ll receive a $10 Target gift card. But if you want the savings, you’ll have to act fast. The offer expires on Aug. 16.