TIP JAR | I hope you caught my article from yesterday about how to budget and buy for holiday shopping (if not, do it now!). For me, using cash and debit is the most effective way to keep my spending in check, but I do have credit cards and I do use them. My new justification (albeit a shaky one) is a feature known as cash back.

While it’s nice to think that a credit card company will pay YOU to use their card, let’s look at the whole picture. Credit cards charge interest rates into the 25 percent range and yet, some of the best cash back offers are up to 5 percent while most are 1 or 2 percent. Hmmm… isn’t that a little disparity? Not to mention the fact that credit card issuers charge retailers fees just to accept the cards (ever wonder why some merchants have spending minimums?). That’s why even if you pay off your balance every month and never pay a cent in interest, your credit card issuer is still making money.

Anyway, I have one card that enticed me with a 5 percent cash back offer and several months of 0 percent interest on purchases, but then I read the fine print. I have to spend more than $6,000 on the card in a year to start earning the 5 percent, otherwise I get a meager 1 percent. That means for every thousand dollars I spend with the card, I get $10 back. Whoa, don’t over extend yourself, American Express!

On the other hand, anyone who uses credit wisely, doesn’t let their spending get out of control and pays debt back in a timely manner is probably better off with a cash back card. My Discover Card also gives me cash back and it’s always nice to get a note saying “you’ve earned another $20!” I usually apply that to my balance. The moral of this story is, make credit card companies earn your business!

For more tips on making the most of credit cards, check out Mint.com, a really neat money management site.

TIP JAR | I receive a lot of e-mails with must have or top seller lists that are supposed to help consumers. The site Shoebuy, an e-commerce focusing on shoes and more, has an interesting gift idea section you may want to check out.

Some of Shoeboy’s recommendations included pretty obvious picks like convertible mitts (those are cool, I want a pair!), winter coats, cufflinks, shoe trees, manicure set, slippers, briefcase and belts.

I think with guys, tried and true doesn’t necessarily come off as trite (as may happen with women), so fear not the classics. One way to make these gifts stand out is personalization, which experts have told me is all the rage this year.

SPOTLIGHT | I’ve been hunting for a reasonably-priced and functional laptop bag for months now. I live in San Francisco and commute to the East Bay via public transportation often, so dragging my MacBook around has been quite a drag (pun intended).

Anyway, what I’ve found is that there’s lots of laptop bags around, but the straps are often not suited for long periods of shoulder wear and bags made specifically for laptops are kind of expensive. Well, I found a site called eBags that has a huge selection and really great prices like $49.99 (a 50 percent discount) on this Franklin Covey laptop tote.

They also have some great holiday deals like free shipping when you spend at least $75 and a free upgrade to 2nd Day Air shipping from Dec. 14 to 19.

TIP JAR | Today is what retail people call “Cyber Monday,” which is supposed to be the online equivalent of the day after Thanksgiving or “Black Friday.”

According to Forrester Research, more than 12 percent of the year’s online shopping will happen today. A survey sponsored by Shop.org found that 73 percent of online retailers will offer promotions this year, up from 43 percent two years ago.

I don’t do a lot of online shopping because I hate paying shipping fees and I like to see something before I buy it. Today, however, many retailers are offering discounts and FREE shipping, so I might do some browsing and clicking.

Many online merchants also offer free returns or some that have brick and mortar stores let you take things back in person. Who doesn’t love options?

Anyhow, to help you get started, check out this Cyber Monday site with lists of bargains. Other e-retail sites I love are Amazon, Overstock, BlueFly and Red Envelope.

AT THE SCENE | My dear shoppers, you shouldn’t be reading this right now because you should be at a store shopping! I have a confession to make, I haven’t slept all night. I started my Black Friday at the Great Mall in Milpitas, where I did indeed encounter madness. The parking lots and walkways were packed. Lines stretched out doors, several dozen people deep. I waited an hour to make a purchase at Off Fifth, but boy, it was worth it! I got a pair of Seven for All Mankind jeans for $89.99. What a bargain!

Now I find myself in Concord’s Sunvalley Mall, where a lot of stores aren’t even open yet, but shoppers are out and about. The line in Starbucks is ridiculous! I’ll have to get my much needed latte elsewhere. So far, most of the shopping bags I’ve seen say Sears or JCPenney, which have been open for a few hours now.

I have mostly been reporting for my articles, but I will be taking advantage of some of today’s great deals like a $70 trench at Bebe (it’s on hold right now). My next stop: a coffee shop where I can get in and out in five minutes!

TIP JAR | For those of you who have big families, especially ones with lots of kids, setting up a gift exchange is great alternative to buying individual gifts and a perfect time to draw names is Thanksgiving.

This is also a good time to discuss the idea if your family has never tried it. After the turkey is safely in your tummies, bring out slips of paper, pens and bowl and get the exchange started. It will make the rest of the holiday season a lot less stressful. For more ideas, check out this site.

TIP JAR | How many of us know someone who “has everything”? So, when it comes to buying a gift, you’re stumped. Well, here are ideas:

• Gift Cards: Think practical like Target, their favorite grocery store, the salon or barber he or she goes to or the closest mall.
• Try some gift idea sites like Gift Girl, Consumer Reports, Gifts.com or Sunvalley Mall’s Gift Finder.
• Offer to do something. One thing lots of people could use more of is time. Offer to babysit, cook dinner or walk the dog.
• Set up an “experience gift” with you: An afternoon at the spa, a weekend of wine tasting, a trip to a museum or a day of football or video games and lots of snacks.
• Ask them point blank. If you’re really out of ideas, ask the person to make a list of 5 to 10 things he or she really wants and pick one, which means there will still be an element of surprise.

You can always hit the mall and just see what inspires you. If you, make a list of all your gift recipients, set a budget for each one and brainstorm things you know about them: favorite colors, teams, gadgets, books, etc. That will give your inspiration a running start.

TIP JAR | Attention shoppers, one of the busiest shopping days of the year is quickly approaching, are you ready?! I have a rough sketch of my plans. I may hit up the Great Mall at for the only midnight mall opening in the East Bay and then I know for sure my day will start with reporting from Sears in Sunvalley Mall.

For those of you need some shopping organization inspiration, check out my story from today’s paper all about Power Shoppers. The women I interviewed for this story really amazed me with their expertise, experience and most of all, self-control. These women know what they want and don’t settle for anything less. They aren’t afraid to leave a store empty-handed.

So, start getting ready for the big day on Friday! This may be one of the best years to find deals. Let me know what you find!

Evian = the enemy? Say it isn’t so!

CONSUMER CRUSADER | You better think before you dare walk up to a cash register or vending machine for a bottle of water. Bottled water, once praised for its sterility and convenience, is the latest consumer vice against which activists are now campaigning. Click here to read more.

I think consumer outrage is awesome and who doesn’t love a dose of ardent activism. While other issues like drunk driving, oil spills and prescription drug abuse become passé, we need a new villain, a new vice to tackle. Bottled water, your day has come.

How did this product stoop so low? Check this excerpt from a New York Times article:

… with her reusable plastic Nalgene bottles dry and her son Charlie working up a thirst in an indoor playground, she broke down and bought a bottle of water. To most people it would be a simple act of self-refreshment, but to Ms. Pollack it was also a minor offense against the planet — think of all the oil used to package, transport and refrigerate that water.

Besides the global concerns, bottled water is expensive when you can get free tap water almost anywhere. I’m not much of a patriot, but this is America and you can get fairly clean water out of the tap. So, while I love Evian (hey, at least it’s spring water), I do agree that filling up a reusable bottle is much more environmentally friendly and economical. Also, there are some great water filters on the market, like those from Brita. I think these are great holiday gifts and for those who already one (like me), a pack of new filters is also nice. Save the planet and keep hydrated!

RETAIL DETAIL | Where will you be this weekend? Out spending money, I hope. Well, I don’t care if you shop this weekend, but retailers and economic forecasters do.

With everything say this year will be lackluster, retailers will have to pull out a lot of bells and whistles to get people to spend, or shall we say overspend. The fact is people will shop this holiday season, they just won’t go overboard.

For merchants, that means a smaller bottom line. Another by-product of the dismal predictions are discounts and promotions. Here’s a bit from the Wall Street Journal that gives some insight on how retailers see that situation:

But some industry observers detect a dark side to this year’s discounts. Having endured a stubbornly warm fall, many apparel retailers are stuck with mounds of unsold fashions as the Christmas season begins. Meanwhile, a crunch in housing and credit, as well as soaring energy prices, have put a lid on consumer cheer. Shoppers have become more obsessed with bargains than last year, and that doesn’t bode well for retailers’ fourth-quarter profits, said Britt Beemer, president of America’s Research Group, a Charleston, S.C., retail consultant.

So, if you do hit the shops this weekend, look for deals or gift ideas so you can start compiling a list (another way to keep spending in check). Happy shopping!