Here's something I take as a very good sign. It's just October, but LL Bean has already launched a free shipping promotion as a preemptive bid for holiday shopping dollars. The promotion is pretty much what it says... you do have to pay shipping for some furniture and other heavy items. But if you're ordering a sweater or something, totally free shipping! The reason I say this is a good sign is because I think it shows retailers are going to be really competitive this holiday season. And, with Bean offering free shipping, I would bet a lot of competitors follow suit. 

Over the past few years, some Web sites have gained big followings by posting copies of retailers' Black Friday advertisements ahead of time. (Black Friday is the designation for the Friday after Thanksgiving and is so named because it was traditionally the time when retailers went "into the black" for the year.) This year, Black Friday ads have appeared online earlier than ever before. The site www.blackfriday.info the Ace Hardware ad this week. That's 10 weeks before Black Friday. It does seem a bit early to me. But if you're one of those folks who likes to map out your every move on Black Friday, I guess you can get to it. 

If you've got a big purchase to make, this might be a good weekend to at least do some comparison shopping. Many retailers are already advertising their Columbus Day deals, so you might be able to snag a good bargain. 

OK, folks... I've gotten several volunteers willing to help me with Wednesday deals during the weeks that I am on vacation later this month. (Thank you all for your willingness to help!) But I could use a few more. So, if you are willing to help out with Wednesday deals on the 17th and 24th, please e-mail me. 

ShopSmart magazine put out an interesting survey last night reporting that the average American woman has 19 pairs of shoes but only wears four pairs regularly. More than that, one quarter of the average woman's shoes have only been worn once.

Among the other interesting findings:
*15 percent of the female population has more than 30 pairs of shoes.
*13 percent have hidden a purchase from their significant other.
*60 percent regretted at least one shoe purchase.
*And 43 percent have been injured, at least moderately, by their shoes. (8 percent have experienced severe injuries such as sprains or breaks.)

Now I've said before that I'm definitely not a shoe hound. But I think this is proof that we should all just go barefoot. OK, maybe not. But I am kind of curious... let's have a little contest. Who has the most pairs of shoes? Post your tallies, and be honest!