how to get the stores to pay you interest instead of charging

The closest thing to free money I've seen. Many furniture stores, home improvements stores, and electronic stores are now offering their big ticket items like couches, plasma televisions, and appliances on a 12 month, no interest plan.

So, if you are planning on buying one of these items with cash, do yourself a favor and take them up on the 12 month zero interest deal. Then, take the money you were going to spend, and put it into a CD, or certificate of deposit.

For example, if you were going to spend $5000 on appliances to remodel your kitchen, at the current rate of 4.18%, compounded quarterly, you would have $5209.72 at the end of the twelve months.

That's $200, virtually free.