I'm a little confused about shopping in this deeply unsettling economy. Do I shop a lot to help out the suffering merchants? Or do I cut back on shopping to help out the suffering me?

Given the state of my checkbook, that's an entirely theoretical question. But I'm still a sucker for any article that promises to show me how to save money--like Rick Broida's "How to Save $7500 on Your Technology Purchases," appearing in the March issue of PCWorld.

Logic tells me that I could save a lot more than $7500 if I made no technology purchases at all, but I read on anyway. "5 Great Technology Bargains" includes a 42-inch LCD TV for just under $1K. Quite a bargain if you need a TV. I don't, too bad. "Get Your Cell Phone Charges Under Control" is an informative roundup of tips and tricks including cheap international calling rates and free text messaging. Maybe it really is time for me to get serious about VOIP.

The roundup also includes "8 Web Sites That Will Save You Cash," "4 Ways to Save Money on Software" (including Quicken alternatives), "4 Green Technology Tips That Will Save You Money," and some other approaches to technology frugality. Not everything here will be news to you--or helpful. But, among the 31 tips, probably some you'll find pounce-worthy.