Welcome to the third edition of "It just makes cents" -- a money-minded column sharing tips, helpful Web sites and Internet deals. We'll find ways to stretch your dollars, methods for trimming your spending and my favorite, free stuff.

Tip

In this era of economic uncertainty, there's no better time to keep watch over your credit report.

Go to Annualcreditreport. com once every 12 months to request a free credit report from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Or you may also make the request by phone, call 877-322-8228.

To keep a more frequent watch on your credit, stagger your reports by requesting one from each credit reporting agency once every four months.

Be aware, AnnualCreditReport. com is the official site to help consumers obtain their free credit report. You may have seen clever advertisements on TV for "free" credit reports which are not free but, instead, are an enticement to enroll in their $14.95 per month credit monitoring program.

If you choose to purchase your FICO credit score at Annualcreditreport.com, keep in mind only Equifax offers to sell you a true FICO score. Trans- Union and Experian will sell you their versions, which are not true FICO scores and are not used by lending institutions.

Web site

Who isn't looking for the cheapest gas?

Sometimes I have enough gas to get to Vegas, but wonder if gas will cost more there. Should I fill up before I go? There are plenty of helpful Web sites that can answer these questions.

Gasbuddy.com shows a map where you can pinpoint the cheapest gas stations on your route. Additionally, I've found some other sites that seem to be updated more often.

Try the following Web sites before you start your next trip: Motortrend.com/gas_prices and Automotive.com/gas-prices. Simply type in your zip code for a list of local gas stations and prices.

Internet deal

How about a free sample of Tide's new Total Care laundry detergent? Go to TideTotalCare.com and click on the Special Offers tab at the top center of the page to receive a free sample of Tide's new detergent by mail.

Totally Free in Pahrump

Every month's fourth Saturday is Free Movie Day at the Pahrump Library. Showing this weekend is "Bolt," a PG-rated Disney feature film featuring the voices of John Travolta and Miley Cyrus.

Show time is 2 p.m. and the movie is 96 minutes long. All ages are welcome.

Watch "the canine star of a fictional sci-fi/action show that believes his powers are real embark on a cross-country trek to save his co-star from a threat he believes is just as real."

As Disney's first rated PG movie since 2000's "Dinosaur," this is sure to be a family-friendly flick.

Money Quote

"If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall" -- Bill Earle.

Reader's tip

Here's a tip from PVT reader Shirley Chapian, who writes, "For all you readers, a really good paperback book site is: MyBooks4Less.com. Books are $0.01 each -- order six books and, with shipping, it comes to only $2 a book. Ships within a day and the books are in very good condition."

Yes, that's only a penny each plus the shipping.

Thanks, Shirley, for sharing this Web site full of great deals on romance, thrillers, mysteries and sci-fi books.

Look for this column every other week in the Pahrump Valley Times for smart spending strategies, money-saving tips, penny-pinching purchases, and steals & deals. And remember to submit your tips and tricks to share with the rest of the community.

I know some of you out there have some fantastic ideas. Together we can help each other save a buck.

Next column

The devil outside Pahrump, create your personalized Internet radio station.

I welcome your input to share with our community. Whether it's an inexpensive activity in Pahrump, a deal you discovered on the Internet, or a cool Web site -- e-mail me at jbeaudoin@pvtimes.com.