Nowadays, just about every company has a loyalty club. Though some of you may find them annoying, the clubs can also be quite lucrative. The Texas Steakhouse & Saloon eClub http://steakology.com/login.php?a=create gives you an instant $5 coupon for joining, as well as other coupons each month and on your birthday.

Helpful hint: If you're going to join a bunch of these clubs, I always say that you should set up a separate free e-mail account through Yahoo, Gmail or some other free service so that you don't end up with a ton of spam in your personal e-mail inbox.

Home shopping scanners

How's this for an idea? Supermarket News had a report about a Connecticut company, Ikan Technologies, that is marketing a home scanner that would allow shoppers to scan the bar codes of items as they throw them out -- essentially creating a shopping list as they use up items in their homes. There's also a voice-recording feature for items such as produce that typically don't have bar codes.

Seems like a pretty nifty idea to me. But, of course, the scanner is in the testing phases, so it might be a long time before we see it here. Until then, I guess I'll just have to get by with my paper and pen.

Free brewery tours and tastings

The Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro is offering free brewery tours and tastings on the second Saturday of each month. On those days, there will be a tour at noon and a second tour at 1 p.m. The brewery is located at 120 Lowes Drive in Pittsboro at U.S. 64 and U.S. 15-501. You can call 545-2330 to reserve a space. The next tour is March 8.

And as I've said before, the free brewery tour at Big Boss Brewery in Raleigh is also worth checking out. Those also take place on the second Saturday of each month. See the Web site (www.bigbossbrewing.com/brewery.php) for details.

Beware online health auctions

The National Retail Federation recently warned consumers to be wary of health and beauty items they find on online auction sites such as eBay. According to the federation, items such as household cleaners and cosmetics have been targeted by organized crime rings. Criminals steal the goods, then sell them to unsuspecting deal-hunters. But there's no guarantee that the quality has been maintained, and some items, such as baby formula, can spoil.

Here's a list of the most commonly targeted items: Abreva, Advil, Aleve, Benadryl, Braun toothbrushes and replacement heads, Claritin, Cover Girl cosmetics, Crest Whitestrips, diabetes testing strips, e.p.t. pregnancy tests, Gillette MACH3, Venus and Sensor razors and refill cartridges, Lotrimin, Nicorette, Oil of Olay, Oral B replacement heads, Pepcid AC, Prilosec, Primatene, RoC, Rogaine, Similac, Sudafed, Schick Quattro razors and Schick refill cartridges, Sonicare replacement heads, Tylenol Extra Strength, Visine and Zantac.

Shoeboxed works with tax software

If you're like me, you probably have a basket or folder full of receipts that you've been meaning to sort through. And probably, also like me, it will be at least a month or two until you get around to the task.

That brings me to a Durham company, shoeboxed.com. Started by a group of very enterprising young men and women, shoeboxed.com aims to help people with their jumbles of paper by allowing them to electronically archive receipts. You can record paper and electronic receipts from online purchases, and shoeboxed also helps you filter out spam from companies with which you've done business.

And, just in time for tax season, shoeboxed announced that it is now compatible with Quicken and Turbo Tax.

Wal-Marts adding movie kiosks

The Redbox movie rental kiosks that have become popular in grocery stores will soon start popping up at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. The companies inked a deal to put a Redbox in the majority of Wal-Mart's more than 3,500 U.S. stores over the next year.

There are already about 800 Wal-Marts that have a Redbox, renting movies for $1 a night. But I can't think of any in our area. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) At any rate, I'll bet that won't be the case for long. And in the meantime, several of our area grocery stores have the machines, if you want to try the service out. Redbox has a locator feature on its Web site.

Free tax prep for Wake teachers

When I was in high school, my favorite teacher worked two jobs to put his three kids through college. He'd show up at school early to tutor kids, stay after school for students who needed to make up exams and then go off to work in the Kmart photo lab until closing. Sometimes I would call him there with questions about my homework. He'd then go home, stay up until 2 a.m. grading papers and then get up and do it all again.

With him in mind, I can say I appreciate any business that gives teachers a break. Liberty Tax Service on Creedmoor Road in Raleigh gives a big one to area teachers each year.

That Liberty Tax office (and only that location) is again offering free tax preparation for teachers this year from March 3-8. Because of the overwhelming response last year, appointments are required; you can contact 783-7979. This promotion is for new Liberty Tax customers only. All Wake County school employees get $25 off their tax preparation fee if they are returning customers or happen to miss the free week. The office is at 5643 Creedmoor Road.