I love magazines, but not enough to actually pay for them; my rule of thumb is that a subscription should be under $5 for the year, or—better yet—free. I’ve noticed the “completely free” deals dwindling of late, but there’s still some cheap deals to be had.

Through the end of the month, for example, Amazon has a slew of magazines $5 or less at checkout (after an instant $5 deduction in your cart), which means now is a great time to renew those magazines you were going to let go because you were cutting corners. So far the best deals I spot are a couple of 2-year subscriptions that come out to just $5, like on Marie Claire or Redbook.

Hey, I don’t begrudge anyone a couple of magazines. Just don’t overpay for them.

Gooooooood morning! Everyone should start off the weekend right. For me, it started with a faceful of dog saliva. (Um. I guess your definition of “right” needs to be fairly flexible….)

Well, here: It’d be hard to argue with the “rightness” of free, right? Today you can grab Cake Mania as a free game download from Amazon. (Check out the overwhelmingly positive reviews here.)

More free: Did you remember that today is Talk Like A Pirate Day? Avast, you scoundrels! It is! To celebrate, go download a free episode of Tales of Monkey Island, today only.

Also, if you’re looking for a good elliptical and don’t have a truck to lug one home, check out today’s Amazon Gold Box Deal—it’s a highly-rated Schwinn elliptical trainer, marked down and with free shipping (which is like saving another $100 because those things weigh a ton).

The $19.95 Jansport backpacks are back at 6pm.com for the weekend, along with a slew of other deals. Redwing, Rockport, Taryn Rose, and Gotta Flurt (which I’ve never heard of before, but for under $12 it’s hard to go wrong) are all in there, along with a free BlackBerry offer. Because shoes and smartphones go together, apparently.

Alternatively, this weekend you can buy a Fall style of Crocs and get a Spring style for free, just in case you can’t get enough Crocs in your wardrobe.

If you have a small child, run, don’t walk, over to the Target Daily Deals this morning—they have “wiggle cars” (otherwise known as plasma cars) for $39.99 shipped. (Buying more than one? Put ’em in your cart, then click through this link for another $5 off your $50+ order.) Plasma cars move when you wiggle the steering wheel back and forth, meaning that they self-locomote and seem to effortlessly glide along. I bought two for my kids when they were little and they still use them. Heck, I’ll be honest—I use ’em, too. They hold up to 220 pounds, I think, and they’re all kinds of fun.

Have you been waiting on a coupon code for American Girl? Now’s the time—go through this link to save $10, $15, or $20 depending on how much you spend.

Check out the weekend sale at Macy’s and use coupon code WEEKEND to save an additional 15% or 20%, plus select bed & bath purchases over $125 qualify for free shipping.

The Fall Sale is on at Banana Republic, and purchases of $150+ ship for free with coupon code BRSHIP150. I’ll confess I sort of love Banana Republic, but it’s kind of hard to justify now that I work from home. One of you who works in an office go buy something pretty and think of me, mmkay? (I guess Old Navy is more my speed, where right now I can use code ONSAVESOME to take 20% off my $100+ purchase.)

Arrrrrrr. Have an awesome day, landlubbers! P’rhaps there be some pirate booty in it for you later on today, if you come back….

Today is the last day of our “trial week” with our new rescue pup, and today is the Amazon Friday Sale. To the rescue’s query of whether we’d like to keep the dog, we say, “Heck yes!” and to the Friday Sale I… also say, “Heck yes!” Now would be a good time for a brilliant metaphor linking dog and sale, but I’ve got nothing. Um. Would you like some kibble?

No? Okay. Just the sale, then.

The 3-pack of wireless remote outlets is back again. These are great if you live in an old house with no overhead lights; just plug in the lamps and you’re good to go. (My last house was like that. I continued to stub my toe on the way to the lamp for the seven years I lived there.)

I must be ready for Fall; I’m sort of digging these boots. They’d be cute with jeans! Select size/color combos are just $49.99, down from $130. They also qualify for $20 off when you spend $80 on shoes… just sayin’.

If you’d rather keep it Summer, how about these Tevas for $20? Cute!

I can’t stop watching the video for this grooming set. It appears to be a pet clipper set paired with… a vibrating Furminator. Really.

How about a pair of king-sized pillows for $25? Great reviews.

I am loving this modern-looking Henckels flatware, and $55 for the set is incredible. (The knives stand up! That delights me, because I am easily amused.) Ooooh—those would look nice with these glasses, too. Spiffy.

I can’t see paying $136 for three knives, but this set makes me consider it. Then again, I’m a fool for Alton Brown.

This is a great price on lactose intolerance supplements if you need ’em. Buy with Subscribe & Save and it comes out to about $4/month.

Today’s Gold Box Deal is 11 Columbia Pictures films that have netted 64 Academy Awards, all in one box set. And don’t forget to check out this month’s 50 MP3 albums for just $5 each, too.

Have a great Friday, everyone!

Been thinking about swinging by Best Buy for something this week? Through Saturday, all orders totaling $25+ will ship for free. And that saves you gas money and aggravation.

Plus, it makes it a lot easier for you to buy me that flat-panel television you’ve been wanting to get me with all of the money you’ve saved recently. Hey, where are you going…?