Shopping

Ali Shops: Pioneer Press columnist Allison Kaplan blogs about all things shopping, breaking out shopping by neighborhood, type of store, and sales and events. alishops.com

Minneapolis Picks: The editors write for Portland, Seattle, and Phoenix Picks websites too, but deliver hints, recommendations, and best-kept secrets of local shops, restaurants, products, and services at this online archive. minneapolispicks.com

Romeo Shops and Juliet Shops: Now there's help for gift-givers searching for presents for a loved one. Just answer a series of simple questions about the recipient on the "Gift Picker," and, voilà, a list of gift matches appears. A few more mouse clicks and a couple of days later, the gift arrives all wrapped up with a gift card. romeoshops.com; julietshops.com

Twin Cities Free Market: If you're giving away or want stuff for free, try these classified ads, where you'll find everything from furniture and appliances to baby clothes and musical instruments. twincitiesfreemarket.org

Twin Cities Gas Prices: Where's the cheapest petrol in town? Find out here. twincitiesgasprices.com