Mother's Day is Almost Here!

On May 13, 2007, mothers around the United States will display one-of-a-kind drawings and handmade cards while nurturing dandelions picked from the yard. They will smile while dining on the fine cuisine that their family has concocted. Mother's Day has always been about honoring the special woman in your life. This year, use the internet to find, or make, the perfect gift. Links to all of the sites mentioned will appear at the end of this article.

Depending upon what you read, the internet boasts of tens, or hundreds, of thousands of stores. How can one person visit them all, even with the fastest of connections and a lots of free time? How do you narrow down who has the best price for a bunch of daisies? With the help of shopping forums and price comparison sites, you will find that bouquet of blooms at a bargain price from a reputable company.

For years, I have belonged to FatWallet. Membership is free but not necessary to view the forums. Tim and the gang have grown from well under 10,000 members (when I joined) to over 675,000 today! They are, no doubt, the top resource for a variety of deals on the net. If you don't see what you want in the Hot Deals forum, just ask! The diverse members are more than happy to share. Besides, Tim is one heck of a nice person and has worked hard to be sure you find the best deals on the net! You can even sign up for their FatCash program, which offers rebates on purchases made through the site. The list of participating stores is impressive, and they are always adding new ones. The homepage has a banner linking to their Gift Guide and Cash Back Sale for Mother's Day items, so hurry over and have a look!

Another helpful site is Fishing for Deals. Most of the contributors are moms, but do not let that fool you! Check out their Catch of the Day section. The members post deals on a variety of items including hardware and tools, just in case your mom is into home improvement. They also have a forum area where you can request deals or learn of current coupon codes associated with specific stores. This is a site to save in your favorites.

If your mom is more of a geek, then head to AnandTech. Beware! You will read a lot of techno-jargon, and it can be a confusing place for a novice. Nonetheless, the many tech gurus in the forums are eager to help. If mom has overclocked her system and needs a new cooling unit, you will find her just the right one here. Does she needs more power? You can get free advice on how to setup a pc or build a new one.

Some of you may be die-hard Amazon Prime members. A couple tools exist to keep track of price changes so that you can take advantage of their price drop policy. Timberfrog.com and frozenwarrior.com provide them free. You can also check Amazon each week for their Friday Sale. The deals have not been as impressive as in the past, though.

Once you have decided upon a purchase, you may want to be sure that the price you found is the absolute best deal. To accomplish this, use one of many price comparison sites such as Froogle or SortPrice. Items tend to hover around the same figure no matter which store is selling them. Nonetheless, it is always good to check.

Your bargain could turn out to be your worst deal if you overlook shipping charges. This is why deal sites are important. Don't just look at the price, but check for coupons and codes associated with the stores, such as discounts or free shipping. Always remember to add shipping costs and compare the bottom line, otherwise you stand to lose money rather than to save it.

If your mom is one to tout the cliché "Don't' get me anything, save your money," then you might want to make her a treat. Even if you are "culinarily challenged," there are plenty of places online to make it look as though you just graduated as a top chef.

RecipeZaar can help you make her the perfect pancake. Fellow members rate the dishes, which spares you from having to sort through thousands of pages. They even give hints and tips on how to make the recipe better. If mom has a favorite restaurant, perhaps you might find a recipe clone at Top Secret Recipes. Todd Wilbur's sole purpose in life is to help the average person make their favorite commercial foods at home. I have been a fan of his for years, and I have never been disappointed with his creations.

Some of you may be more scientific. Never fear! There is a site just for you -Cooking For Engineers™. Even those who are not technically oriented will enjoy it. The site takes you step-by-step, with pictures, through the process of making mom the perfect Crème Brûlée. It even reviews cooking and baking equipment.

If your mom is a Food Network fan, then select a recipe from her favorite chef. If fast is what you need, then try RazzleDazzle Recipes. Would you rather bake a cake for her? Cake Central has so many ideas and recipes that you will find yourself engrossed for hours.

I hope that these ideas will help you find the perfect gift for your mom. Feel free to share your own favorites. As for me, I am waiting for my kids to get great jobs so that they might one day buy me a pump-driven espresso maker. For now, my Bialetti Moka stovetop will have to do!

Happy Mother's Day!

Sites listed in the article are:
www.fatwallet.com
www.fishingfordeals.com
www.anandtech.com

www.amazon.com
www.timberfrog.com
www.frozenwarrior.com
www.froogle.com
www.sortprice.com

www.recipezaar.com
www.topsecretrecipes.com
www.cookingforengineers.com
www.foodnetwork.com
www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/quickneasy/index.htm
www.cakecentral.com