Sunglasses from McCaulou’s, only $5.95!
RETAIL DETAIL | I stopped by the Starbucks on Bancroft Road in Walnut Creek and decided to make a quick trip to nearby McCaulou’s department store, which is a small, but surprisingly well-stocked shop.

The best thing about McCaulou’s is that they have great sales and a bigger selection than you would expect of casual clothing and shoes. The one in Lafayette also features a cosmetic department that carries Estee Lauder, Clinique and Lancome.

I picked up two pairs of $6 sunglasses today. I love cheap sunglasses because I lose or break them all the time, so it’s going to be a while before I shell out hundreds on some Chanel or Gucci lokes (they are adorable, however!). I always feel like I’m getting a deal at McCaulou’s without having to compromise on quality. It’s one of the Bay Area’s best kept retail secrets.

McCaulou’s Locations:

• LAFAYETTE: 3512 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, CA 94549, (925) 283-3380
• MORAGA: 1441 Moraga Way, Moraga, CA 94556, (925) 376-7252
• DANVILLE: 589 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville, CA 94526, (925) 837-0261
• OAKLAND: 6211 Medau Place, Oakland, CA 94611, (510) 339-2210
• ORINDA: 250 Village Square, Orinda, CA 94563, (925) 254-3448
• SONOMA: 201 West Napa Street, Sonoma, CA 95476, (707) 996-4465
• WALNUT CREEK: 718-C Countrywood Ctr, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, (925) 935-9300
• CONCORD:5100 Clayton Road, Concord, CA 94521, (925) 827-0330
• NAPA: 1380 Napa Town Center, Napa, CA 94559, (707) 255-9375

DAILY DOLLARS | About one-third or 33 percent of American consumers say they are more likely to shop online now that it costs so much to fill up our gas tanks, according to a recent survey conducted by market research firm Harris Interactive and commissioned by iCongo, a software maker.

Other interesting results:

• 57 percent of respondents said free shipping is a reason they are more likely to shop online
• 55 percent said lower prices lead them to shop online
• 61 percent cited the ability to shop at any time as a reason they are more likely to shop online
• 45 percent  said they plan to make retail purchases with their tax rebate

I think that while more people may consider saving gas by shopping online, the amount of money they spend may not grow by much because people are just not shopping as much as they used to.  Also, online shopping only makes up about 5 percent of all retail purchases, so brick and mortar stores still dominate.

Of course, as any savvy shopper will tell you, a great way to find the best deal on anything is to shop around, whether its online or in a physical store.

RETAIL DETAIL | Green is the new … everything? Companies, especially retail companies, always want to be on top of the latest trends and the hottest thing right now is the “green movement.”

Macy’s has launched a Green campaign that urges shoppers to use reusable shopping bags, buy organic and plant trees. Thanks Macy’s, I wouldn’t know how to protect the environment without you. I also love Macy’s offerings of “green products” that include eco-friendly cookware from Martha Stewart.

One item description says the following:

A nonstick like no other. The innovative GreenPan uses a breakthrough nonstick technology called Thermolon™, offering superior food release and performance even at extreme temperatures. It’s a versatile cooking surface that emphasizes great taste and an environmentally friendly future. Limited lifetime warranty.”

So what makes it eco-friendly? Who knows? Just buy it and feel good about your contributions to the health of our planet. Plus your eggs won’t stick, what more can you ask for?

DAILY DOLLARS | So pretty much anyone who buys groceries knows that the cost of basic goods like milk, eggs and produce have gone up in the past few years. The change seems small, like an extra 50 cents for a half gallon of milk, but it adds up overtime.

And for those of us who have decided to switch to organic products, the change is even more pronounced. Organic food costs on average 20 to 100 percent more than the conventional equivalent.  Check out this piece from today’s New York Times.

For many shoppers, the switch to organic seems like a splurge or luxury.  With prices on the rise, I wonder how many people will start compromising health or environmental concerns just to keep their budgets under control.

RETAIL DETAIL | Toys R Us has joined the eco-friendly train with a new line of natural and green toys. The line includes wooden toys including a racing car, alphabet block set and utility truck. It’s great to see a toy retailer offering products that are “natural” and not soaked in damage-causing lead paint.

I found this line of toys very interesting because while the concept may seem innovative and trendy, it’s really old fashioned. Before toxic toy factories, many toys were hand-made of basic materials like wood and cotton.

It reminds of the organic food boom that’s been going on for several years now. People view it as modern to buy organically grown fruit and vegetables, but in reality, that is how most produce was farmed for hundreds of years until recent history.

Are we going “green” or just returning to our roots? Who says history doesn’t repeat itself?

RETAIL DETAIL | So it seems like Internet shoppers have been getting a free ride and here comes a stop sign or concrete wall.  Thus far, people have not had to pay sales tax for purchases made online if the retailer did not have a physical in the state where the shopper lives.

Politicians, sharp tools that they are, may have found a way to change the rules and start boosting their coffers with our money! Check out this excerpt from a CNET article:

Pro-tax politicians want to change this by allowing California to force Amazon to collect and submit sales taxes–and they may have found an ally in a U.S. Congress that’s controlled by Democrats. (Note: See our related story on new taxes on digital downloads.)

Two bills are pending in Congress that would allow tax collectors to target out-of-state Internet and mail-order retailers, and their supporters are optimistic about their political prospects.

“I certainly would love to see a floor vote,” said Neal Osten, federal affairs counsel for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a lobby group for state politicians. “We’ve heard encouraging words from the Democratic leadership in the House.”

Meanwhile, pro-tax states are trying their own ways to circumvent a long-standing rule saying a retailer must have physical presence before it can be forced to collect taxes. One effort came from New York state, where legislators recently approved a measure requiring Amazon and other online retailers (that lack a physical presence in the state) to collect sales tax on New Yorkers’ purchases.

That amounts to a declaration of war against Amazon, and a legal battle now seems all but inevitable.

The big question is who gets the money: the state where the retailer is based or where the shopper lives? It’s sad isn’t it, when another good thing goes bad?

STICKER SHOCK | I heard some rumors last week that Safeway has started charging shoppers a 25 cent deposit to use the shopping carts at a store in the South Bay. Apparently the retailer had set up a coin-operated device similar to the ones used at airports for luggage carts.

Well, according to a column in the San Jose Mercury News, the device somehow made a detour on its way to Canada, were apparently cart deposits are common.

From SJM columnist Patty Fisher:

Safeway doesn’t use coin-operated carts in the United States,  (Safeway spokeswoman Esperanza Greenwood) explained, because we just won’t stand for them.

“We tested them in Hawaii back in the 1970s, but the feedback was not very positive,” she said. “Apparently nobody likes them very much.”

Nobody here, that is. In Canada the coin-operated carts are a big success.

Canadians apparently hate abandoned shopping carts. They consider them a real eyesore, a visual insult like graffiti, destroying the beauty of streams, parks and neighborhoods.

I agree with Fisher: Having to pay to use a shopping cart seems like a good way to boost sales at other grocery stores or get consumers to not shop at all.

On the other hand, some stores charge valet or parking fees and you don’t get that money back all in the name of convenience. But a coin-operated device really is a huge stretch and a little behind the times, especially in cities where parking meters now take debit cards (now that was a good idea! I never carry change).

2007 Mazda 3: Last time I went car shopping, this is what I came home with. Not bad, huh?

TIP JAR | Lots of people love shopping and lots of people love cars, but I can’t think of anyone who loves car shopping. There are good reasons: car shopping is tedious, time-consuming and you often walk away feeling like you got ripped off… even just a little bit. The site AutoBrag.com sent me a handy list of car shopping tips to put YOU behind the wheel of the car-shopping process:

Top 10 List of Do’s and Dont’s for New Car Buyers in 2008

1. Know exactly what car you want. That means picking out the make and model of your next new car before going into the dealership to buy.
   Don’t let someone talk you into buying a car you really didn’t want.
2. Don’t buy the car right after a test drive. The dealer will try to turn this new car purchase into an emotional event. Use a cool head and negotiate with a financial frame of mind. The more emotional you get the more money you lose.
3. Make sure to check what manufacturer incentives and rebates are available on the new car you want to buy.
4. If there are incentives and rebates they are coming direct from the manufacturer. This means the dealership didn’t do anything for you so don’t let them convince you that they gave you a deal.
5. Think about the total price of the car and not monthly payments.
   Dealers will ask you what you can afford to pay on a monthly basis. Tell them that the price of the car is all that matters.
6. When you are ready to buy, make sure to know exactly how much you should pay before you go to the dealership.
7. Visit your local credit union or other source of new car financing to see what rates you are eligible for.
8. No one says you have to buy the car today. This is a big financial decision and if you don’t feel 100% comfortable than wait until the time is right.
9. Watch out for the extras that the dealership will try to sell you.
   They may include fabric protection, paint protectant, and an extended warranty. Pass on these items.
10. Always be in control. Don’t be afraid to say No and walk away.
    There are bad dealerships but also many great dealerships. Spend your hard earned money with people you enjoy doing business with.

Another good resource, and one that I read before buying a new car last year, is a book called Don’t Get Taken Everytime that gives you more info about car dealerships than you ever wanted to know, but some very handy info about how they make their money.

I’ll tell you this much: don’t feel guilty about bargaining down as much as possible, dealerships get paid no matter what. The question is, how much will money will they make off of you?

TIP JAR | I have a confession to make: I feel totally inept when buying beef. Just walking by the meat counter at a grocery store makes me nervous.

I know very little about cuts except that ground beef is for burgers and filet mignon is really expensive. I wish I could be one of those people who knows the butcher by name and sounds like they know what they are talking about when they say, “Give me a pound of that beautiful chuck right there. Yeah, that one.”

The meat case at Whole Foods reminds me a Jaguar dealership: shiny and fancy-looking, but also very pricey. I’m sure I knew something about raw meat, I’d be able to walk into any store and know what’s good.

Raley’s, based near Sacramento, just launched a proprietary brand of meat called “100% Black Angus Beef” that it claims “is comparable to cuts served at fine steakhouses.” Raley’s, by the way, operates 124 in Northern California and Nevada under the banners of Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source.

The grocer also offered the following tips on buying meat:

• Marbling: Marbling is the term used to describe the small, white flecks of fat that are visible in a piece of beef before it’s cooked. Contrary to popular belief, shoppers should look for this when choosing a fine piece of meat, because the marbling will melt during the cooking process, causing the meat to self-baste. This ensures a flavorful, tender and juicy cut of beef every time.
• Thickness: Thicker steaks usually make the juiciest, most flavorful steaks. Cuts that are at least one-inch thick are typically more tender because they do not cook as quickly, so there’s less of a chance they’ll end up over-cooked.
• Cut: Shoppers looking for a naturally tender cut should opt for a steak from the rib or loin, such as tenderloin, T-bone or rib eye. These cuts have more marbling which results in more tenderness and juiciness.

You should also check out a story that ran in our Food & Wine section today called “Respecting the Meat You Eat” that includes lots of information on where meat comes from.

DAILY DOLLARS | The Daily Green, a site dedicated to eco-friendly living, compiled a calendar of eco-friendly deals for the month of April since Earth Day is coming up on the 22nd. Some of the offers are coupons for products like Seventh Generation cleaning supplies, Body Shop cream and Bunnybury baby gifts.