Before any federal budget is released, we're subjected to days of speculation about what the budget will mean for us. Spending cuts? Potentially higher taxes? Large federal deficit? Check. But there was one budget announcement that managed to fly under the radar this year: our paper money is going plastic.

While the rest of us are trying to use less plastic (five cents for a grocery bag, anyone?), the Bank of Canada is planning to switch from cotton-paper money to a synthetic polymer by the end of 2011. But in this case, going plastic is a good thing. The plastic money, already in use in many countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, and Israel, has many advantages over its paper counterpart.

Is there a new spending class in Canada? According to a survey commissioned by American Express, many Canadian adults can be considered 'potentialists,' people who are looking to shift their financial focus toward travel, philanthropy and satisfying personal experiences and away from traditional material possessions.

The 2009 survey identified 31% of Canadians as potentialists, up 3% from a year prior. AMEX research revealed that potentialists tend to be more optimistic than other Canadians, and happier with what they already have. But that doesn't stop them from dreaming big.

Thirty-eight per cent of respondents said they had a 'potentialist list,' which goes beyond the 'Been there, done that, crossing it off' feel of a bucket list. Potentialists are looking to enrich their lives and focus on their passions and goals, the most popular of which include travel, charity, learning a new language, and living in a different country. Perhaps owing to their optimistic outlooks, more than 94% of the group were confident they'd accomplish the items on their lists.

Perk up, lazybones! There are still two days to cash in on this free package of PowerBar Gel Blasts.

The liquid-filled energy chews are recommended before or during moderate and high-intensity exercise. The freebies are available until March 12 and will be mailed within six to eight weeks.

Note that the offer is limited to one per household (sorry, energy-deprived families!) and it doesn't apply to residents of Quebec.

Ever consider throwing caution to the wind, and trying your luck on CBCTV's Dragon's Den? If you live in the Greater Toronto area, head down to the CBC Broadcast Centre tomorrow for an information session for would-be pitch artists. The evening kicks off with a networking session where you can mingle with entrepreneurs and fans who are thinking about taking the plunge. Then host Diane Buckner will moderate a forum with former Dragon's Den 'pitchers', who'll explain the ins and outs of taking part in the show.

After the discussion you can meet the production team to find out what makes a good pitch, and consider doing a Dragon's Den audition. Sound good? The event takes place tomorrow - Wednesday March 10 - from 5:30 to 9 pm. You need to register, so don't delay.

That's right, the last time it was this cheap to travel to the United Kingdom was in 1985, the same year the remains of the Titanic were found off the coast of Newfoundland.

The British pound has fallen 8.7% against the Canadian dollar, which is a 25 year low for the royal currency. But it's not just the UK that's now cheaper: the Canadian dollar has been strengthening against most of the world's major currencies, making travel to the United States, Japan, Europe and Australia more affordable.

The loonie is buying more than 64 British pence at the moment, compared to a low of about 52 pence in July last year. Likewise, you can now get 71 euro cents for each loonie, compared to roughly 59 euro cents this time last year.

Get a $10 promo card from Canadian Tire when you drop $40 or more before taxes in the store. The deal is only valid today (March 9), so strike while the tire iron is hot!

Note that the $40 can't be spent on gift cards, auto service labour or Mark's Work Wearhouse merchandise.

The promo card must be redeemed by April 8, 2010.

After several years of going to Ottawa to report on the budget, I still get a weird, almost perverse joy out of reading what the government says it's going to do for us, for itself and for the rest of the country.

Hopefully this streak of geekery will be helpful to you as well. It's true, there's not a lot of money on the table this year, but if you'd like to know where money can be found, read on.

My wishlist

My wishlist items are small potatoes compared to, say world peace, a balanced budget or funding for schools/Afghanistan/insert your big deal here, but these are the items I would love to see and how each panned out in the end.

Do you ever look at prices and say, "Why is everything $19.99?" After all, you're an adult – you can handle the truth. We all know it's really $20. One more cent isn't going to push you off the deep end, so why can't retailers come clean?

Well, my friend... retailers don't mess with a money-maker.

We make split-second determinations on price and much of it is purely based on the direction we read."We read from left to right. We anchor our judgment on the first thing we see," Cornell University marketing professor Manoj Thomas told The Wall Street Journal. So, If you pit $20 side-by-side against $19.99, in almost every case, the lower number on the left-side of the price will get all the attention from consumers. This, despite the fact that they're virtually the same price.

Star Wars had Jedi Mind Tricks, but retailers have been tapping into a much more powerful force to make sure you make the purchasing decisions they want. The 99-cent phenomenon is just one retail strategy that exploits behavioural economics: The study of those unconscious and automatic social, cognitive and emotional cues that effect our purchasing choices. Corporations recruit firms like Simon Kucher and Partners to get in our heads and push all the right buttons. Below are some of the most common pricing tricks used to mess with your mind and separate you from your cash.

You know those ill-fitting jeans -- the ones we ALL have tucked into our bottom drawers? It's time to pry them out and exchange them for comfort.

From now until March 14, Gap is shaving 30% off new, regularly-priced denim when you plop your old denim into one of its recycle bins.

The offer is not valid online, at Gap Factory Store, Gap Generation Stores or in Vancouver-area stores. Also, it can't be used for Converse or Stella McCartney for GapKids/babyGap.

Here's a money-saving tip in less than 140 characters: Twitterdom is the new place to find travel bargains.

The social media tool, which boasts 15 million active users according to Trendspotting.com, is already a great means to find everyday discounts at your favourite stores and online shopping sites. Now the travel and hospitality players have gotten in the game, which can only mean one thing for travelers: sweet deals.

The Canadian division of US hotel chain Fairmont Hotels was an early adopter of Twitter, establishing its presence before other hotel chains such as Hilton, Four Seasons and Starwood.