As a mother of four boys, I've always been a big fan of bulk buying to save money -- and time -- on groceries and household supplies. But now the market is being overrun with online group-buying sites that take the premise of "buy more, save big" to a whole new level.

Here's how they work: daily deals are posted on everything from spa treatments and cosmetics to fitness memberships, hotel accommodations and decadent cupcakes at up to 90 per cent off the original price. The more people who buy the product or service within the allotted time, the bigger the discount.

The key difference between these sites and mass retailers and big-box stores is quantity. At group-buying sites, it's the number of buyers that determine the lowest price; at places like Costco, it's the higher number of units that garner the greatest discounts.

Lucky for me, I have plenty of storage space for giant-size cereal boxes and 50 rolls of toilet paper to justify buying in bulk for my growing family. And maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I like to touch and see what I'm buying, before I open my wallet.

Don't get me wrong: I love a good bargain, but I don't want to be rushed into making snap decisions for fear of missing out on a sweet deal. To me, this new style of  "snooze, you lose" marketing is pushy and I don't like feeling bullied when I'm shopping.

But I tip my hat to those impulsive shoppers brave enough to shop sight unseen. I hear the savings are incredible.

Inspiration comes from many different sources: a designer model home in a builder's new community, a swatch of pretty fabric,  an elaborate storefront display or a steady lineup of DIY shows on HGTV. But twice a year, I anxiously await  the arrival of the Home Depot's DreamBook.

Filled with the latest products for decorating, upgrading and remodelling your home -- inside and out --  the full-colour catalogue is "designed to inspire." And it never fails to live up to its promise.

The 2011 spring/summer edition highlights three top design trends: traditional tailored, eclectic organic and contemporary dynamic and shows how you can achieve the looks using specific cabinetry, wall finishes, flooring, window treatments and lighting.

OK, I admit it's a self-serving marketing tool used to lure shoppers to Home Depot, but many of the ideas, tips and tricks could be easily duplicated using finds from other home decor stores, garden centres and home-improvement warehouses.

What I find the most useful is that they identify the exact paint colour used on a wall in each of the featured room settings and give advice on everything from how to figure out much wallpaper you need to the benefits of various flooring options.

The free DreamBook also includes several how-to projects to spruce up the home and garden. Geared for beginner to handy do-it-yourselfers, the often colourful and whimsical projects take anywhere from two hours to three days to complete. Now that's inspiring.

Did you know that every day, more than 50 dryers catch on fire in North American homes? No, faulty wiring is not to blame. The blazes are actually caused by lint clogging up the dryer's exhaust hose.

Sure, regular maintenance and cleaning could prevent these dangers, but obviously people aren't taking the time to properly empty the lint traps and vacuum out their dryer hoses.

Ideal Security Inc. based in Lasalle, Que.  has come up with a simple gizmo called the LintAlert to prevent fires. A digital sensor, the LintAlert attaches to the dryer exhaust to measure pressure changes inside the hose caused by lint buildup and other blockages. Green, yellow and red LED indicators gradually light up to show how efficiently the dryer is operating and warn of any airflow restrictions. An alarm is activated when the pressure reaches a dangerous level.

Available at Rona and Home Hardware for about $70, this plug-in sensor can save lives. Definitely a smart investment when fire-proofing your home. 

Some people love shoe shopping and can spend scads of dough on high heels, strappy sandals and thigh-high leather boots. Others go gaga for designer duds, filling walk-in closets to capacity with top brand labels and discount knockoffs.

I, on the other hand, am a diehard grocery shopper and my bulging kitchen pantry is proof of my addiction. Let's just say when soup goes on sale for 59 cents a can, I buy a minimum of four  -- of every flavour!! The running joke in my family is if there is ever a natural disaster, friends and family should make a beeline for our place because we have enough food socked away in our three freezers and cupboards to last many weeks -- even months.

So when I heard not one, but two, new grocery stores are opening in Ottawa's west end, my heart started racing. In fact, I got so excited I sped out to the new FreshCo. store in Bells Corners last Wednesday only to find out, it doesn't open until tomorrow (April 20). Oops.

Formerly home to Price Chopper, the newly-expanded box store at 150 Robertson Rd. will be FreshCo.'s second Ottawa location. The first Price Chopper-to-FreshCo. conversion  is at 320 MacArthur Ave. in Vanier.

To mark the grand opening of the Bells Corners store, there will be plenty of great specials, including seedless watermelons for $2.97, 900-gram black forest hams for $3.97 and  sweet potatoes for 79 cents a pound. Sounds like the makings of a tasty Easter dinner.

Over on Richmond Road, just west of Lincoln Fields, construction crews are busy building a new Farm Boy in the same strip mall as Rainbow Foods. The 12,000-square-foot  retail space in the Britannia Plaza marks the 10th store in Eastern Ontario for the locally-owned company. Like all of the other locations, it will sell  prepared meals and salads, fresh seafood and a large selection of fruits and veggies.

Mmmm ... I can almost smell the fresh-baked baquettes and taste the gourmet cheeses and deli meats now.

After 40 years, MEC has produced its last print catalogue.

As CEO of Mountain Equipment Co-op David Labistour explains on the inside flap of the full-colour issue: "Since we produced the first in 1972, our gear, our stores and our membership have all evolved considerably, now it's time for the print catalogue to evolve as well."

He goes on to explain that eliminating a paper catalogue is simply a reaction to the changing times.

"Communication and commerce are shifting to electronic media, communities form online, and more and more our members are using the web as their primary source of information and entertainment. In this environment, our competition comes not just from other retailers, but from increasing demands on people's leisure time.

"Staying relevant has informed our decision to move away from producing printed catalogues."

The final edition, not only highlights the store's latest mountaineering, camping, backpacking and biking equipment, it also takes a look back at MEC's 40 years in business with photos from the early days and short blurbs about how the environmentally friendly clothing is made, which original stock items are still available and which ones proved unpopular with members.

For information, visit mec.ca.

The title, Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm? (Brains Publishing, $19.95), immediately grabbed my attention. Though I wear very little makeup besides blush and occasionally mascara, I'm a chronic lipgloss/lipstick user and would never leave the house without my smackers coated in soothing lip balm, shiny gloss or creamy lipstick.

I've never actually counted, but it's probably not a far stretch to say I reapply at least 10 times a day. But am I addicted to the stuff? Well according to the cosmetic scientists in this book, it is possible to "train your body to rely on lip balm." 

Here's how: The top layer of your lips consists mainly of dry, dead cells. As they flake off, the deeper layer of skin (basal layer) produces new cells. When you slather on lip balm, you slow or prevent your lips from drying out so new cells aren't produced. But here's the catch: When you stop using the balm, lips get dry and the basal layer has to go into overdrive to produce more fresh cells. And so the cycle starts all over again.

Here's a couple more interesting tidbits: Lip plumpers actually work -- temporarily --, but if you think your fruity lipgloss will stave off hunger and help you loose weight, you'd be mistaken.

As for other fun facts in this book: Did you know spit can cure zits and pore strips are a powerful weapon against blackheads? Retin-A has been proven to help eliminate wrinkles, but tourmaline irons are no better than other hair straighteners. But for those who thought semen was a good moisturizer -- yikes, who thought that? -- the pros recommend buying a bottle of facial cream instead.

 Now that's good advice.

Does anyone else's blood boil when they see someone nonchalantly strolling down the street with a shopping cart loaded with groceries or a couple cases of beer?

Now I get that not everyone is as lucky as I am and has a minivan to cart home their hefty purchases. It's been decades since I was a student and had to lug heavy bags of food or piles of clean clothes from the laundromat to my apartment on the OC Transpo. And unless you have money to burn -- literally -- commuting to the malls by taxi isn't an affordable option.

But what I can't quite wrap my head around is why these folks think they have the right to remove a shopping cart from a store's parking lot for their own personal use? Maybe it would be more acceptable if they took the cart back after their goods were delivered, but judging from the many overturned carts in neighbourhood parks or dumped at the side of the road, there seems to be a no-return policy.

Some stores have tried to crack down on cart "borrowing" by installing anti-theft technology that locks the cart's wheels if it's pushed beyond the perimeter of the parking lot. At one grocery store, Food Basics, you have to insert 25 cents into the handle of the shopping cart to unlock it before you can use it. You get your quarter back when you return the cart to the locked position.

Experts warn food and alcohol prices are going to continue climb. And I think it's pretty safe to assume that if retailers have to take costly measures to discourage or prevent shoppers from driving off with their shopping carts, we are all going to suffer the consequences at the checkout. And that really makes my blood boil.

Growing up, my mom used to always tell my brother and I: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. It's an old expression, but as she pointed out, its meaning is timeless: even if  you don't like the present, accept it with grace and show your appreciation for the giver's kindness. We can always regift it later.

I've passed along the same sage advice to my four sons, but this past Christmas, I found myself in a contradictory position when my husband gave me a $200 gift certificate to lululemon athletica in Westboro. I was not impressed.

As someone who prides herself on wrangling great deals on everything from designer duds to pork chops, I could not fathom spending that much money in a store that doesn't have clearance racks, blowout sales or bargain-priced knockoffs.

Now don't get me wrong: The quality of the yoga-inspired clothes is top notch and the stretchy, relaxed fits are ridiculously comfortable, but the idea of spending close to $100 on a cotton hoodie made my stomach feel sick.

Usually when I feel stressed or need cheering up, I jump in the car and head to the nearest mall. Nothing like a little retail therapy to forget your woes. But for months, I couldn't bring myself to use that gift card. A diehard cheapskate, I really struggled with blowing that much moola on one, maybe two, items for myself.

 Finally last week, I bit the bullet and with help from two friends set out to do the unthinkable: Spend the lululemon loot. Sadly, it was as painful as I had dreaded.

Sure, I came away with a couple cool pieces -- a techno-printed windbreaker and a thick A-line coat with a snap-up cowl neck -- but the $200 gift card didn't quite cut it.  I still had to dole out another 100 bucks and change for my two purchases.

Sorry Mom, but that 's a gift that just makes no cents at all.

Nothing gives pizzazz to a plain skirt or dress like flashy fashion tights.

Priced from about $9 a pair, the selection of vivid colours, funky prints and sexy patterns is downright overwhelming. But trust me, if you want to bring attention to your legs, add style to your outfit or flaunt your quirky sense of humour, invest in playful pantyhose.

Spring promises a whole new crop of stylish tights with slimming control tops, butt-lifting bands and built-in compression to stimulate circulation. But its the eye-popping shades, lacey weaves and cool patterns that will turn heads and put a spring in your step.

Affordable and fun. Now that makes good fashion sense.

You likely spend more on the way to work for a cup of coffee from your favourite barista, but did you know as little as $2 can help end childhood hunger?

Toonies for Tummies is an annual campaign organized by The Grocery Foundation to raise money to fund breakfast programs at 500 elementary schools in Ontario. From Feb. 13 to March 19, donate $2 at the checkout of participating grocery stores, including Metro, Food Basics and Sobeys, and you'll help put nutritious food in hungry tummies. Best part is 100 per cent of all the money raised goes back into your community.

Since its inception in 1979, the Grocery Foundation has donated more than $75 million to fighting childhood hunger. Last year alone, 15 million meals were served to children and youth in need.

As an added bonus for shoppers, money-saving coupons (50 cents to $1.50) are available on hundreds of in-store products, ranging from crackers and cereal  to laundry detergent and dog food. For every coupon redeemed, 15 cents will be donated  to the campaign.

It's sad to think we need to designate a week to being nice to each other, but I guess the same could be said about professing our love to our Valentine on Feb. 14.

...

Ever wonder if developers have gone mad and built big-box stores too big? The thought crossed my mind on a recent visit to the new Walmart superstore on Baseline Road near Clyde Avenue, which opened last month on the former site of Laurentian High School.

Sure it's the only Walmart in Ottawa with a full supermarket inside and it's set on more than 15 acres of open land at one of the west-end's busiest intersections. But I swear they need to install a shuttle service to take you from one end of the store to the other.

God forbid you make it over to the sporting goods section, only to realize you forgot to pick up a bag of milk or loaf of bread. Time to hightail it all the way back to the east-side of the store.

I pity those older shoppers or young moms with cranky youngsters who think they'll just nip in to pick up a few odds and ends. Be sure to lace up the running shoes because you're in for a good powerwalk. And that's before you even get in the door. The parking lot is enormous -- if you're lucky enough to even find a parking spot.

My only regret: I wish I'd worn my pedometer the day I went shopping. I would have surely racked up my daily goal of 10,000 steps.

Hard to believe that no matter what computer system you buy these days -- be it a swanky, wafer-thin laptop or top-of-the-line home desktop -- it will likely be obsolete in 18 months.

In the Citizen's Business & Technology section on Feb. 1, writer Craig Crossman says it all comes down to the software. "Newer-generation software continues to evolve in its complexity and places more and more demands on a computer's resources."

If you hope to keep up with the rapidly-changing technology, Crossman says don't cheap out. "Buy the best you can afford," he insists. ""Buying anything less doesn't save you money. In fact, it may cost you more in the long run as it will become obsolete more quickly."

Sure, you can buy upgrades to run the latest program or 3-D action-adventure game on your old computer, but it can get expensive. And let's face it: eventually the old model is going to run out of steam. When that happens, it may just make better economic sense to replace the tired workhorse than to load it up with a lot of fancy add-ons.

My husband bought me a slick laptop for my birthday in March 2009 and by that Christmas, it was already showing signs of losing speed. Downloading photos and music was painfully slow and when I turned to my teenage sons for help, they abruptly told me my computer was too old to keep up. "Time to upgrade, Mom," they chimed. But it wasn't even a year old yet and already its days were numbered? Luckily, I don't do a lot of downloading, play online games or watch videos, but as my laptop nears its second birthday, I have to come to terms with the fact it's on the brink of obsolescence. Sad, but true.

If you have an old PC or Mac that's ready for the computer junkyard, there are several places in town that will recycle it for free. Here are just a few:

1. Computer Recyclers Inc., 163 MacFarlane, 613-723-3135, www.computerrecyclersottawa.com

2. Twenty Twelve Electronics Recycling, 107-14 Bexley Place in Bells Corners, 613-596-0310, www.ttr.ca

3. Phoenix Computer Recycling and Repairs, 24 Beaverbrook Lane in Kanata, 613-435-0740

For a more extensive list, visit the City of Ottawa website.

If you've driven past the Zellers in Bells Corners (59 Robertson Rd.) lately, you've likely seen the giant yellow "Clearance" banner stretched across the entrance to the store. For those who ignored the sign and kept going, I'm here to tell you, it's definitely worth the stop. BIG time. 

I popped in on the weekend for a little investigative shopping and left a good hour later with bags of incredible deals on clothing for the whole family (we're talking Alfred Sung long-sleeve tees for $7 and men's waffle-weave Henley tops for $3.50), as well as women's fashion tights ($3 a pair), plush bath towels ($6 each) and decorative scented candles (under $4). 

According to store supervisor Chris Laurin,  the Hudson's Bay Company, which owns the department store chain, has chosen the Bells Corners location as a clearance centre for all Zellers stores in region 19, which spans from Kanata to St. Laurent. Though the Bells Corners branch still stocks regular-priced merchandise, it also carries a large inventory of drastically-reduced clearance items -- from women and men's fashions and footwear to bedding, kitchenware and picture frames. But here's the best part: If the item has a pink or red polka dot on its tag, the price will be slashed by another 40 per cent.

But unlike a liquidation centre, sales aren't final. If you change your mind after you take your bargains home and decide you don't like the fit, colour or size, Laurin says they can be returned or exchanged with a receipt.

Apparently, there's no end to the madness. Another staffer told me that until Target takes over, the clearance centre will keep pumping out the bargains. Looks like I'll be seeing many more dots in my future.