Internet TV at home is a DIY reality!
I’m hearing a lot about services that, for a fee, let you play computer videos, like Hulu and YouTube, on your TV. Is this a necessary expense? How hard is it to do yourself? I talked to Shawn DuBravac, a head honcho at the Consumer Electronic Association, and learned that, for many TVs, you can buy a cable for about $45 that will eliminate the need for a pricey service. This interview has been edited and condensed.
How hard is it to stream videos from your computer to your TV? If you want to play YouTube videos on a television, you have to have some type of computer object connected to that television: a browser in essence.
What is an Internet TV? About 20% of televisions are Internet-enabled. If you have one of those televisions you really don’t need to do anything.
What about a non-Internet TV that has an HDMI input? If you have an HDMI port, then all you have to do is
Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win one of five free books I’m giving away this week. There are only 15 comments so far, so you have a great chance of winning! To win, comment on one way you would improve BargainBabe.com (and remember to include which book you want to win)! Comment by Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm. EST. Winners will be announced this Friday.
Here are the books I’m giving away:
Free LA – A guidebook to everything free and fun in Los Angeles. A must have for residents and visitors!
The Scavengers’ Manifesto – Salvaging, swapping, repurposing, reusing, and recycling is the same of the game in this book. Stories and how to tips.
Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half – The Coupon Mom’s best seller could be yours!
NYT Manual of Style and Usage (1999) – A bit out of date, but still useful for journalists, bloggers, and other grammar grouches!
U.S. News & World Report Stylebook (1997) – Ditto on the above.
There are 21 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates or Shortcuts. It’s free to join!
Free Icee - Get a freebie 20 ounce Icee at AMC Theaters on the following three Fridays: Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Sept. 30, and Oct. 7, 2011. Must bring an original print out of the coupon, which you can get by “liking” its Facebook page. Thanks, Free Sample Freak!
Free 100 biz cards - Get 100 free business cards in full color at Office Depot starting this Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011 and continuing until Oct. 3, 2011. Look for a coupon in your daily newspaper, including the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronicle, San Diego Union Tribune, Fresno Bee, Florence Morning News, Myrtle Beach Sun News, Columbia The State, Charleston Post and Courier, Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Dallas Morning News, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Detroit News and Free Press, Tacoma News Tribune, Winston Salem Journal, High Point Enterprise, Bergen Record, and the Newark Star Ledger.
Free ice cream - Get free ice cream when you “like” the Safeway Facebook page. This won’t last!
Here are two quick coupon updates.
1. The CVS coupon policy is finally available online. You used to have to email CVS directly and request a copy. A PR rep emailed me saying there is a new FAQs section on CVS.com, although the only way to find it is by clicking on a tiny link buried at the bottom of the site to a site map.
2. Kroger stores in Texas no longer double and triple coupons. Remember our earlier post about Extreme Couponing backlash? Kroger claims the show did not have an impact, but I’m not sure I believe the grocery chain. Kroger still accepts coupons for their face value. Other Kroger stores will continue to double and triple. More details, and steps to take action on Couponing101.
Don’t forget to check out our weekly drugstore coupon and grocery coupon roundups. My Coupon Database is a huge source of printable and online coupons from Coupons.com, SmartSource, and more!
A website in the UK created a cool infographic on how retailers trick you into spending more at the checkout stand. I agree with a lot of them! One of the cool things about the info graphic is that is includes real examples, like:
- Dell increased sales by $25 million by changing it’s slogan from “Learn More,” to “Help Me Choose.”
- Product videos at Zappos have increased shoe sales by 6-30% (Babies R Us does this too, and it totally works!)
- Speeding up load times from 6-9 seconds to 2 seconds bumped up Shopzilla’s revenue by 5-12%.
See the infographic on retailer tricks by clicking “more. ” And check out the 19 retailer tricks that Bobbi, Yazmin, and I brainstormed.
Smoothies are $2 with the Jamba coupon below!
There are 34 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates or Shortcuts. It’s free to join!
Free theater performances - Get free tickets to theater performances across the country Oct. 1-31, but the important part is to register NOW to get tickets. 15 states are participating. Thanks, Hip to Save!
Free glasses - Get a free pair of prescription glasses from CoastalContacts.com starting today, Sept. 14, 2011 at 12 noon EST/9 a.m. PST. Use coupon code FREEGLASSES914. Facebook log in not required. Just copy and paste the coupon code onto CoastalContacts.com. One per household. You pay $10-$15 shipping and for any upgrades.
Free American Baby mag - Get a free subscription to American Baby magazine through Freeflys, a website you’ll have to register for to get the freebie mag. (more…)
Many sites have not posted the weekly coupon matches, but you can use My Coupon Database to search dozens of sites for all grocery and drugstore couponsavailable.
Ralphs - The Ralphs prices assume coupon doubling up to $1. Get all the Ralphs coupons later today.
Safeway/Vons - Get all the Safeway/Vons coupons and deals later today.
Albertsons - Save at Home Mommy shares this week’s Safeway/Vons coupons. Highlights include Wild Harvest Organic Salad Blends are buy one get one FREE, Prego Pasta Sauce for $1.12 each when you buy 2 or $.74 each with a doubler, Campbell’s Canned Pasta no Meat for as low as $.47 each when you buy 2 or $.27 each with a doubler, Guerrero Flour Tortillas for as low as $0.50, and Fage Yogurt Cups for $.60 each when you buy 5 or $.20 each with a doubler. (more…)
Terry.Tyson / Flickr
This post was brought to you by SillyJokes.co.uk, the UK’s leading source of Halloween Costumes and Halloween Decorations.
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Before you trick or treat this year, there are nine things you can do to save money on Halloween and reduce stress. Starting now is the most important part to finding deals on Halloween decorations, costumes, and candy.
Decorations
- Take inventory. Make a list of what you need. This year, I’d really like to find a deal on kitchen towels with pumpkin designs on them. I’m staying away from witches and goblins as I’ll be able to used these until Thanksgiving. (more…)
Longtime reader Glenn shared a dirty secret about hotel room safes. They’re not safe at all! He writes:
Do you ever use the hotel safe in your room? If so, do you know about the default combination code that can make your valuables “less safe” than you thought? If the answer is “No,” then you must check out a video that was posted on YouTube on Sept. 6th by skyrangerpro.
Here is the video Glenn mentioned. It’s been viewed more than a million times!
O the Oprah Mag, Esquire, Seventeen, and lots more are just $5!
freerei c Credit: FontShop/Flickr
There are 23 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates or Shortcuts. It’s free to join!
HOT!!!! Pay $10 for $20 at Whole Foods with this deal through Living Social, a Groupon-type daily deal site. New users only. Sign up to receive Living Social emails to get access to the deal.
LA deal! Free Bruins tickets - Get two free tickets to a UCLA Bruins game when you fill out an auto insurance quote with Mercury. Use promo code UCLA when filling out quote. Four home games to choose from. Must be a licensed California driver 21 years or older to get the freebie. Thanks, The Freebie Blogger!
Free cappuccino - Stop by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf today between 4-7 p.m. and get free 4 ounce tastes of the limited-edition salted caramel cappuccino and cinnamon mocha cappuccino. Plus, pumpkin and cinnamon french toast lattes are $1. Not valid in Ralphs, Krispy Kreme and Hawaii locations.
ImipolexG / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
The start of fall brings hectic school schedules, but you don’t have to give up family dinner time. Here are two delicious meals for easy baked fish and beef stir fry that you can put together in minutes.
I'm giving away three five books for free!
I’m giving away five free books this week. To win, comment on one way you would improve BargainBabe.com (and remember to include which book you want to win)! Comment by Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm. EST. Winners will be announced this Friday.
Here are the books I’m giving away:
Free LA – A guidebook to everything free and fun in Los Angeles. A must have for residents and visitors!
The Scavengers’ Manifesto – Salvaging, swapping, repurposing, reusing, and recycling is the same of the game in this book. Stories and how to tips.
Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half – The Coupon Mom’s best seller could be yours!
NYT Manual of Style and Usage (1999) – A bit out of date, but still useful for journalists, bloggers, and other grammar grouches!
U.S. News & World Report Stylebook (1997) – Ditto on the above.
Get online coupons for these stores below. You can use My Coupon Database to search dozens of sites for more grocery and drugstore coupons available.
Target - This week’s list of Target coupon deals will be posted later today. Go to Target’s online coupons.
Staples - Hip 2 Save lists the hot Staples coupons later today. Go straight to the Staples site.
CVS – Bargain Briana has all the CVS coupon deals for this week, including free RepHresh Brilliant ph Tampons, free CVS Allergy Relief, free St. Joseph Aspirin, and Aussie or Herbal Essences Hair Products for as low as $0.99. (more…)
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
I asked you to share how you’ve benefited from others’ generosity for a chance to win “Saving Savvy,” by Kelly Hancock of Faithful Provisions and many of you wrote wonderful stories of how others have blessed you.
I was particularly moved by reader Linsday‘s response and declared her the winner. She wrote:
Taking your kids to a baseball game doesn't have to be pricey! Credit: kkinjo/Flickr
There are 5 1/2 weeks before the World Series begins on Oct. 19 – plenty of time to go to a baseball game on the cheap with deals found by guest writer Andrew Kardon of JoeShopping.com.
It’s a summertime rite of passage: pack up the kids, trek to the ballpark and show your family why baseball is America’s Pastime. With ticket prices dropping along with game attendance, it’s easier than ever to have a great time at the ballpark and leave with money in your wallet. Use these 10 tips for great deals on tickets, souvenirs, concessions and more.
