I’m crazy about books. Certifiably crazy. So when I realized I hadn’t completed my six-volume set of William Blake: The Illuminated Books, I feverishly scoured ABE Books and Amazon for the best book vendors for the cost. The winner was a bookseller in London, so I went to their secured Web site, entered my credit card number, and then squealed delightedly when book six of six arrived on my doorstep.

Imagine my surprise when I got my credit card bill that month and learned that my bargain shopping came with a 3-percent foreign transaction fee!

Are you one of the shoppers out on December 24  every year, grabbing whatever you can to assuage your loved ones’ needs for heartfelt gifts? Yes? Then it’s quite possible that you’re paying too much!

Retailers generally follow a sales schedule that stays the same every year. If you can adjust your shopping schedule to a year-round approach, found at the end of this article, I guarantee you will save money.

Today’s consumer has a total of 13 credit obligations on record at a credit bureau. With so many obligations, consumers need up-to-date credit card tools and help more than ever before.

To that end, CardHub.com (owned by the same company as this blog), the world’s most innovative credit card portal, today announced the expansion of its “Tools and Help” section, which offers free and comprehensive advice and tools for U.S. consumers. This new source of credit card help is now available online.

If the same 25 songs keep showing up in your iTunes randomizer, then it might be time for some new downloads. But who wants to spend money on music when you can buy more important things, like lunch or car insurance or a new hat for pending trips to the beach?

Don’t fret – this intrepid reporter has unearthed a link that connects you to 775 (ok, 774) mp3 files. That’s hours and hours of music. Best of all, the recording industry won’t come after you for illicit downloading, because these are all licensed, legal, and FREE!

Looking for some free money? Ask and you shall receive! Wainwright Bank (of Boston, MA) is offering a free $200 savings bond to new customers who open a Value Checking account with Direct Deposit. You do not have to be a Massachusetts resident to apply, and you can complete your application online.

The skinny: You only need ten dollars for an opening minimum balance, but Wainwright bank requires that you have a $500 minimum balance to avoid a $6 monthly service charge. If you link your account to Direct Deposit, though, the account is “free with no minimum balance required and unlimited check writing.”

I always purchase my tax-prep software the day it hits the shelves, and then I don’t file until about three minutes before the April 15 deadline. It’s a tradition, like wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve or overeating during the Super Bowl.

In any case, I know I’m more fortunate than a lot of folks out there who can’t do their taxes on their own, or those who need answers and additional help on their basic returns. If you’re lower-to-middle income, or above age 60, or an active member of our great military (or a family member of an active military member), there are places you can turn to get FREE help with tax preparation.