How to Help This Site - For Free!

 
     
 

Thank you for your interest in helping this site to continue to develop.  Some of the information we give you here can save you thousands of dollars the next time you're arranging travel, or will substantially help the quality of your travel experiences in other, non-cash ways.

The good news - everything here is free and open to everyone.  You don't even need to register.  The even better news - in turn, you can help us without having to (gulp) pay any money!

If you see advertisers of interest featured in the Google served ads on any of the pages, please click over to explore their sites.  Your clicks to their sites earn us referral fees.

We have also selected some specific advertisers that we feature on our pages.  Simply use the links below any time you wish to shop online.  We get small referral fees from these merchants when you click from our site to their site (and then purchase something!).

It costs you no more to (eg) buy your books from Amazon via our link than it does to shop directly from Amazon, and we get 3%-5% on most of your Amazon purchases.

This truly is a way that you can support us, and at no cost to you.  Please consider   this page and using it as your starting point any time you're doing online shopping.

Thank you.

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  Books, Movies and More
Communications
Computers
Dining, Food and Drink
Discount Electronics
Free
Gadgets, Gifts and Things
Music
Travel Accessories

 

Books, Movies and More

In Association with Amazon.com

Who doesn't know of Amazon!  Sells books, movies, music, and just about everything else, too.

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The BBC America Shop is crammed full of goodies for Anglophiles, including a massive range of their excellent TV programs such as Fawlty Towers DVDs,Videos and Merchandise, All Creatures Great and Small, Father Ted, Monty Python, The Vicar of Dibley, and many many more.

 

Communications

5 cents a minute long distance from IDT

Another long distance phone service.  Sometimes, and in some locations, they have better rates than LowerMyBills, sometimes they don't.  Confused?  Aren't we all, and at these sorts of prices, it no longer seems quite so important as it once did!

 Search Accessories For Your Cell Phone

      

Cellphoneshop.net guarantee low prices.

Amazing prices on batteries, hands-free kits, cases, chargers, and most other things for cell-phones.

Save on phones for the whole family!

LetsTalk describes itself as offering more wireless service plans from more carriers than any other online retailer. I've used them myself to walk through the minefield of competing cell phone service plans.

Hello Direct

I've been a very satisfied customer of Hello Direct for over a decade.  Excellent products and excellent customer service.

They have a huge range of everything to do with phones and communications in general.  Recommendation - if you don't already have a headset, get one.  They are the most amazing productivity and ergonomic aid in today's office.

 

Computers

Xoxide.com - Computer Cooling and Modifications

Ask any computer technician and he will confirm that heat is a computer's greatest enemy.  Heat reduces the life of everything in your PC and increases error rates.  This company has a wide range of cooling products, including an intriguing water-cooling system that is very moderately priced.

Even if you don't buy from this store, at the very least, install another fan or two in your computer.  You'll be very pleased you did.

GoToMyPC - Access  Your PC From Anywhere

Access Your PC from Anywhere - Free Download

PC Magazine calls GoToMyPC "Revolutionary."  People I know that use it agree!

NEW! Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar! If you are a Maccer rather than a PC person, then this store seems to have a wide variety of everything you might want or need.
PCMall.com - Computer Superstore A huge variety of usually well discounted PC software and hardware and peripheral products.

 

Dining and Food

British food sometimes has an undeservedly bad reputation, but you don't have to be British to enjoy the wide range of British and Scottish food items for sale through this website.

EthnicGrocer.com Your World Market

And, if British food isn't your 'cup of tea', then try EthnicGrocer.com with food items from many other international destinations.

Discount dining certificates.  Buy them online, print them out on your own printer, then head out to the participating restaurant you chose.

This is a great program and I've used it successfully myself.  There's no catch!

Mail order wine and more.  A well established company with a good product range of wine and accessories.  Includes helpful tasting notes on many of their wines.

Note that they can not ship to all states.

Carpe Diem

Yumm!  Rather expensive, but very good; a major indulgence at a relatively minor price.  Makes for great corporate (or any other!) gifts.

True French chocolates made in France and couriered to you (with surprisingly low shipping costs).

 

Discount Electronics

The Value Leader in Technology Solutions! Click!

eCOST.com offers hundreds of brand name computer hardware, software, peripherals, consumer electronics and office supplies and equipment at very good prices.

Save up to 70% at uBid

I've bought a lot of things from uBid - stereo equipment, computers, and (of course) gadgets of all descriptions.  Values can sometimes be excellent.

 

Free Things (!)

This really is a great tool that gets added in to Internet Explorer on any Windows based machine.  I' use it myself and love it.

It adds helpful features such as suggesting related sites, auto access to Google, auto access to Amazon (and your Amazon purchases earn credits for us!), and fascinating statistics on each site you visit and how popular it is, plus access to an archive of older versions of each website.

Best of all, it stops pop-ups from cluttering up your computer.

Recommended.

 

Gadgets, Gifts and Things

BetterCables.com-Audio Video Cables

Do you spend under $5 or over $50 on the cables to connect up your audio and video equipment?  If you're interested in high end cabling so as to squeeze every last drop of quality out of your sound and video, then judging by their reviews, this seems to be the best source.

HobbyTron.com Electronic Kits and Toy Superstore

I'm the first to admit that I love electronic gadgets - often completely useless items but which can be great fun to play with.  This site is full of such things.  Makes fun browsing even if you don't buy anything, and a good source of ideas for inexpensive things to buy 'the person who already has everything'.

If you use this coupon code - 1038011778 - you'll get an extra $5 off orders of $35 or more (expires at the end of Dec 2002).

After months of being bombarded by this company's pervasive ads, I eventually ended up buying one of their wireless camera systems, and found it actually did work!  I've also bought some of their remote control light switches and other things since then.  They have lots of great gadgets at good prices.

Sovietski Collection: Treasures from a Bygone Era

The Sovietski Collection appeals to me as a Russo-phile.

They have a wonderful range of Soviet and even historical Imperial Russian trash and treasures.

 

Music

Free Music! CLICK HERE

I use Musicmatch myself to make MP3s for my MP3 player.  It is probably the best and most popular of the various different programs available.

Guaranteed lowest prices - Music123.com!

A very wide range of musical instruments, electronic keyboards, accessories, and music studio equipment.

 

Travel Accessories (ie things other than tickets and reservations)

Safe travel begins at Magellan's

A reputable supplier of just about anything and everything in the way of travel related items and accessories.  You'll find things here you never even knew you needed! 

Maps.com: The Place for Maps Online

Maps, atlases, software, globes; you name it, they probably have it.  They also have digital maps that you can download and print yourself, but if you're doing much of that, it might make better sense to buy a map program.

Irv's Luggage Warehouse

Never pay full price for luggage!  It is a very high markup item and you should always buy at a discount.

Here's a good store that sells name brand luggage at great discounts. Which leads me to my second recommendation.

Always buy the best possible quality in your luggage - the last thing you want are suitcases breaking open on the conveyor belt!  I have Delsey and Samsonite myself - I suspect my Delsey suitcase must have traveled the best part of a million miles with me - so far!

Click here for 15% off your next holiday gift purchase at Irv's Luggage Warehouse. Coupon code: HOL152002. Expires 12/31/02.

250FF

This company sells any quantity of miles you might want at 4c a mile.  They work with the America West, American, Continental and Delta frequent flier programs.

4c a mile is not very cheap, but if it means the difference between having enough miles to get an award or not, it can be good value.  Some airlines sell miles directly for about 2.5c a mile, plus a small surcharge and perhaps subject to restrictions and limitations.

Also, when buying miles for business and first class awards, it can be - even at 4c a mile - good value.