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3 On Your Side: Jim's Favorite Ways To Save

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The holiday shopping rush is right around the corner. You'll want to save where ever you can. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan shares three of his favorite ways to enjoy more, but spend less!

When you're about to bust your holiday budget and your wallet needs a rest, why not get daily deals e-mailed to you from Livingsocial.com and Groupon.com? The Living Social discounts have included 50 percent off clothing, spa services, even sky diving! Encourage three friends to buy the daily offering and Living Social will give you the deal for free!

Groupon offers big discounts too, but requires that a certain number of people take advantage of the offer. The website keeps track of interest throughout the day. If there's enough interest, then the deal is on!

"More than 65 percent of the people that came, hadn't been in the store before," says James McManaman, co-owner of Absolute Abstract in Center City.

Absolute Abstract has been featured on both Living Social and Groupon, offering discounts on affordable contemporary art.

McManaman says, "There is a really a true following with these kind of sites, people want a good deal."

Do you take public transportation to work or school? If so, your transit pass can double as a discount card!

SEPTA offers what it calls Pass Perks, while PATCO has a program called Freedom to Save.

PATCO's Jeffrey Nash says, "We want our customers, our commuters to use the stores that are near and around our station."

Just flash your pass. Combined, the two programs offer discounts at more than a 100 businesses ranging from salons to bakeries.

Speaking of food, do you enjoy eating out, but can't stomach a big bill? On CBSPhilly.com, you'll find deals of the day that serve up half off discounts on meals, including pasta and pizza to seafood and sandwiches. Just sign up for e-mail alerts.

On Restaurant.com, discounted gift certificates are available for thousands of restaurants, simply search by zip code. Now through Monday type in the word "GIVE" at check out and you'll get 80 percent off their already low price. That means a $25 dollar certificate will cost you only $2.

If you're interested in any of these programs or sites, be sure to always read the fine print. Deep discounts sometimes come with restrictions on how and when you can use them.

RELATED LINKS:

www.livingsocial.com

www.groupon.com

http://www.ridepatco.org/freedomtosave/index.asp

http://www.septapassperks.org/

http://offers.cbslocal.com/Philadelphia

www.restaurant.com

Reported By: Jim Donovan, CBS 3

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