Years ago I lived in Alaska, too far from stores to make regular buying trips.

Every few months we'd make a run to town to stock up. But what about those times between trips when I needed something? I learned to do a lot of non-food shopping through catalogs. And it didn't take long to learn the real costs of catalog shopping are in the shipping charges.

I'd have given anything to get free shipping to Alaska!

Online shopping is the same as catalog shopping. One of the most important issues facing online buyers today is how much it really costs: most shipping charges add 7 to 20% to the total cost of your purchases.That can add a lot to your bottom line, and savvy buyers know that's where the real savings can be, especially if they find the jackpot: free shipping.

But does free shipping really exist? Yes… but it's not easy to find. Retailers will sometimes offer free shipping in conjunction with a sale or as a promotional offering to entice shoppers to look their way.It works – the shopper gets a deal even if the products aren't on sale, and the retailer gets exposure to new customers. It's a win-win for everyone.

Now consider this: bigger and bulkier products cost more to ship than, say, a pair of shoes or a doll, right?So when a retailer like BackyardBargain.com offers free shipping on their products – tiki torches, curtain rods, fire pits – it's a really great deal.

Almost seems like they're getting the short end.Makes me wonder how they do it – but they do, and it's a real sweet deal for you and I. Sure, it's not on all their products all the time, but hey, it's worth every dime saved when it is offered.

So next time you're browsing the Web looking for deals be sure to check out a few of my favorites.BackyardBargain.com of course, TikiTorchBargains.com and CurtainRodBargains.com. They all offer free shipping often enough to add them to your Favorites list.

I've got an online order filled out for my holiday shopping this year, and thanks to my favorite online retailers and free shipping, I'm actually saving money.I'll bet that's just what you're going to do too!