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The best money-saving tips of 2012

2012 was hellish in a lot of ways, but it was a good year for saving money.

Indeed, as any regular reader of The Cheapskate or CNET's Marketplace knows, you could count on finding a good deal -- often a great deal -- pretty much every single day.

Of course, some of the best money-saving advice applies all year round, not just on a particular day. With that in mind, I've rounded up some of my favorite thrifty tips from 2012. (It probably goes without saying that most of them will work just as well in 2013.)

1. Always buy refurbished Apple gear.… Read more

Great game deals to kick off the new year

Welcome to my last post of 2012. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday, and I wish you the best as we head into what will hopefully be a saner, safer new year.

Personally, I'm hoping to find a little more time for fun -- more books, more sports, and more gaming. Especially cheap gaming, which makes it even more fun in my book. Today I've rounded up some pretty spectacular game deals for consoles and PCs; take a look:

1. While supplies last, Newegg (via eBay) has an Xbox Live 12-month Gold membership for $37.99 shipped. … Read more

Easy last-minute gifts you can print or e-mail

We're down to the wire, just one day to go until the ho-ho-holiday. If you're a procrastinator like me, you might be scrambling to find a last-minute gift for, say, your favorite uncle/mail carrier/blogger.

No problem: all you need is your computer and, if you want something tangible you can put under the tree, a printer. The following stores let you print or e-mail gift certificates for fast, easy, and downright thoughtful giving.

Amazon.com On any Amazon page, click the Gift Cards link, then choose Digital or Print. Amazon offers a wealth of options in … Read more

Holiday 2012: What's on your gadget wish-list?

The time for holiday shopping has just about come to a close. With just four days until the Big Day, all that's left now is to hope Santa got your letter in the mail -- and thinks you've been a good little gadget hound this year.

So, what did you wish for? What gadget are you most hoping to find under the tree on Christmas morning? Something tablet-shaped, perhaps? Or maybe something boxy (or Boxee) that streams video? How about a Bluetooth speaker, or a new camera, or even that big TV you've been eyeballing at Costco?… Read more

Get a free DVD ripper, video converter, and ringtone maker

It's been a fun series of freebies this week! Free seasons of TV shows (now expired, alas), free movies from Vudu, a free membership to ShopRunner -- and today, to top it all off, some free software.

Before I tell you about it, I'm going to ask that you please read the instructions as I've outlined them below, as these giveaways always seem to trip up some readers. There's nothing complicated here, but if you don't pay attention, you'll end up e-mailing me about what a fake or scam or screw-up this is.

So. … Read more

Get 10 free movies when you sign up for Vudu

Like movies? Like free stuff? Then today is definitely your lucky day.

For what promises to be a limited time, Walmart movie-streaming service Vudu is offering 10 free movies when you sign up for a new account. (Just click the green Sign Up button and you'll see the promo.)

This is a surprisingly no-strings attached offer. All you need to create an account is your name, e-mail address, and date of birth. Or, if you prefer, you can sign up using your Facebook account. Although Vudu will ask for billing information, you don't need to provide it (though … Read more

Get a free 1-year membership to ShopRunner

Talk about good timing!

From now through Dec. 31, you can get a free 1-year membership to ShopRunner -- the service that affords, among other things, free 2-day shipping from dozens of big-name stores. (Use offer code runner when filling out the registration form.) That may come in awfully handy for you last-minute gift shoppers.

Before I go any further, and to help prevent another SiriusXM Internet Radio-style debacle, I must point out that this offer is ostensibly for American Express Platinum Card members only. Consequently, it could disappear at any time, and it's even possible that ShopRunner will … Read more

Get free seasons of BBC America's 'Copper' and 'Luther'

Poke around Amazon Instant Video's freebies section and you'll often find pilot episodes of new TV shows, previews of upcoming seasons, behind-the-scenes bonus content, and so on. But an entire season of a critically acclaimed (if little-known) series? That you usually have to pay for.

Not today. For what promises to be a limited time, Amazon Instant Video is offering BBC America's "Copper" Season 1 HD absolutely free. (It's also available in standard definition.) That season consists of 10 episodes.

Also available: BBC America's "Luther" Season 2, again in HD or … Read more

Multi-deal Monday: Ultrabooks, security software, games, and more!

Happy Free Shipping Day, fellow cheapskates. Nearly 1,700 online merchants are offering "free delivery by Christmas Eve," so today might be the ideal day to finish up your holiday shopping.

That said, lots of stores offer free shipping every day, and I have no doubt we'll see lots of other "free shipping in time for Christmas" offers in the days to come, so don't fret too much if you miss FSD.

Today I couldn't decide on a single deal, so instead I rounded up a bunch of good stuff -- a little … Read more

Get a no-contract mobile hot spot that 'pays' you for sharing Wi-Fi

You've heard of FreedomPop, right? It's the Clearwire-powered 4G service that gives you a "free" mobile hot spot and 500MB of data per month, with the option of earning extra by referring friends.

FreedomPop is still in beta, but already it has some interesting competition. Karma offers a Clearwire-powered 4G mobile hot spot with 1GB of free data, with the option of earning extra by referring....strangers.

It works like this: You pay $79 for Karma's compact, 2.1-ounce hot spot, which can share its 4G goodness with up to eight devices. After you activate … Read more