Girl on the Brink: Surviving Desperate Times with Desperate Measures

There are more people on the Earth than the planet is old.

There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand.

There are more people who are unemployed (15.7 million) than during the Great Depression.

Startling facts. Even more startling times.

In the months before Christmas (and all the other upcoming holidays), everyone is stirring about life in 2010, and resolutions will become more about finding a job, perhaps any job, then losing the 5 to 10 pounds packed on between Thanksgiving and year-end, though that is important if you are to catch a man (or woman).

But there is something about the holidays where people seek peace, unity and stability for their children and families. The expectation of gifts wrapped with bows underneath a tree or given after the lighting of each Hanukkah candle has been dimmed by the enormous rupture in our economy.

So how do we make peace with satisfying the expectations of others as well as ourselves? Well, sometimes we don’t, but the trick is finding a way that allows us to maintain our memories of Christmas’ (or substitute your own holiday) past.

The Internet has made it possible to maintain a holiday spirit with sites that strive to bring you the best for less. To wit, I offer a few suggestions that you may not be aware of. If you are and like them, no hurt in sharing.

The most intriguing site for saving money is Groupons. This site offers deep discount coupons in more than 30 mid-market and major cities, from Miami to Memphis to Minneapolis. If enough people sign up for the daily deal in a particular city, then the deal is on.

Enter your credit card number to buy the product or service in advance, and you get an electronic coupon in your inbox to use.

Groupons calls it “collective buying power.”

I signed up but have yet to take advantage of a deal, which range from discounted maternity clothing to spa treatments to tickets for dining and entertainment events.

Other dollar-saving sites:

SeatCity.com: Online ticket aggregator. I searched for tickets to the December 3 hockey game between the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers and found three in a good section for $89.00 each. That’s about $10 less than the prices at TicketsNow. I didn’t complete the transaction to see if there were hidden fees, but that’s something to watch out for.

PricePlease: I love the concept—find a product you want to buy from its list of participating merchants and sign up for a price-drop alert. Only problem is that I found the sign-up process cumbersome. Sure, it’s easy to enter just your email address and click on a confirmation link sent to your inbox. But then when you try to log on it asks you for a password, which you’ve never set. Don’t know if it actually works but worth a shot. I’m waiting for the price to drop on an xbox 360 Pro Console.

CouponMap: Maps coupon deals in your Zip Code. Nothing fancy here—meaning you won’t find exotic coupons for a fancy champagne. But if you like pizza, subs and discounts at cheap Chinese restaurants, you’ll find a few bargains with strings attached, such as minimum purchases to buy a gift certificate for a meal at a steep discount. The site even throws in gas stations offering low gas prices in your neighborhood.

If you’ve found other novel, non-ripoff deals, please let Ann know at ann.powers@girlonthebrink.com.