By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
photon/flickr
It’s hard to believe but the end of the school year is not far away. Parents are starting to make plans about what to do with their kids during summer break. For many, taking a vacation with their kids is out of the question. Summer camp might be possible for a week or two. If you don’t want your kids vegging in front of screens the entire summer, here is my list of 100 frugal and fun projects and adventures you can create with your family.
- Cover your sidewalk with chalk art.
- Sell lemonade from your homemade lemonade stand.
- Make jewelry out of noodles.
- Finger paint.
- Acquire articles of clothing and accessories to fill a costume box.
- Plant a garden.
- Go to museum free days.
- Volunteer. (more…)
seishin17/Flickr
Shawna shared a valuable tip in response to Bobbi’s post on her son getting inundated with credit card offers. Her tip is on how to opt out of credit card offers. She commented:
You may want to have him opt-out at the website for all 3 credit bureaus – http://www.optoutprescreen.com It’s risky for anyone to receive that many credit card offers. If they fall into the wrong hands or accidentally get delivered to the wrong house, you can have someone stealing your credit.
I checked out the site and it is legit. The site has a detailed FAQs page, privacy policy, a phone number and mailing address, and answers many questions about the process of opting out of credit card and insurance offers. Its homepage says it “is the official Consumer Credit Reporting Industry website to accept and process requests from consumers to Opt-In or Opt-Out of firm offers of credit or insurance.”
Thanks for the great tip, Shawna! Got a tip to share? Email me or if it is related to opting out of credit cards, leave a comment so others can benefit.
After weeks of sharing drugstore coupons at Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid, I decided it is time for a detailed comparison of the free loyalty programs at each chain. I listed everything you need to know about each store, including my overall impressions. Which is your favorite drugstore rewards program?
By joining these free loyalty programs you’ll get lower prices on many items in the store, just as you would at the grocery store.
Links to drugstore reward programs
Walgreens coupon policy
Rite Aid coupon policy (PDf)
Rite Aid Single Check Rebate program
CVS does not list their coupon policy online. Request a copy at customercare@cvs.com or by calling 1-800-746-7287.
Kids under 12 eat free at Chili's today!
There are 17 coupons and freebies today! If you shop online, check if there is a cash back rebate for shopping through Ebates. It’s free to join and you can save a bit extra.
Today only! Kids eat free - Kids eat free at Chili’s today, Mar. 29, 2011 with this Chili’s coupon. Up to two free kids meals with every adult entree.
Free cupcake crafts – FaveCrafts is giving away an ebook with 31 cupcake-themed projects, from home decor and jewelry to cards.
Free Dove for men – The offer for free Dove for Men products reset. Request this freebie before it runs out – quick!
Free Aveeno – Get a free sample of Aveeno shampoo and conditioner. While supplies last. (more…)
frangrit / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
One of the easiest ways to save money in the kitchen is to use leftovers. If you are having ham for Easter dinner, make sure not to throw away the bone so you can use it for this split pea soup recipe. Like my lentil soup recipe, this recipe is fast and easy to make. You can also substitute bacon or turkey bacon if you don’t have a ham on hand and it will be just as good. The best thing is, it’s inexpensive to make.
You can also serve this soup at your Easter celebration instead of serving an elaborate meal with all the trimmings. This modest meal is hearty and satisfying when served with warm bread and salad. (more…)
Hawaii on $70/day. Credit: Glenn
Hawaii can be frugal – longtime reader Glenn proves it with his 10-day jaunt for $1,501.61 – including hotel and airfare! Without hotel, he spent $83 per day. Here is how he did it:
I flew with Hawaiian Airlines using all my air miles to book the round trip. According to their web site, the value of each flight was $402, so I saved $804 plus taxes and government fees. I accumulated my miles using the Hawaiian Visa Air Miles card since 2005. The annual fee was $25, so from 2006 through 2010, it cost me $125 by the time I was able to redeem my miles. I was able to cancel my card before the 2011 annual fee was due. Overall, not bad I would say. I did have to pay $25 for my one checked suitcase each way which I think is a total rip. And I did pay $40 for shuttle service to-and-from my house to LAX and back. And $27.50 for shuttle service to-and-from Honolulu International Airport to my hotel.
I booked my hotels through Hotels.com. My original plan was to use Priceline so I could enter my own price. However, after (more…)
This post is brought to you by Pop Up Displays.
Target - This week’s list of Target coupons includes free Colgate, Dove, Degree, Vaseline, and more! Looks like a good week for Target.
Staples – Hip 2 Save lists the hot Staples coupons this week, including free batteries after Staples Rewards, plus cheap paper and colored paper with Staples Rewards.
CVS - Bargain Briana has all the CVS coupon deals for this week later today. (more…)
Lots of makeup deals today. Got your brushes ready? Credit: o5com.Flickr
There are 10 coupons and freebies today, including a lot of makeup deals! If you shop online, check if there is a cash back rebate for shopping through Ebates. It’s free to join and you can save a bit extra.
Free Twitter in-flight – Use this Gogo in-flight Internet coupon to get free Twitter use on select GoGo flights. Ends Apr. 14, 2011.
Quiznos coupon – Use this Quiznos coupon to get any small sub for $3. Available for a limited time. Nice!
Ulta coupon - Get free shipping at Ulta when you spend $25 or more. Use Ulta coupon code 50830. Some exclusions. Ends Apr. 2, 2011.
Rite Aid sale - This week at Rite Aid Maybelline and Garnier products are buy one get one 50% off. (more…)
Friends - or scared of claws? Credit: Elsie esq./Flickr
I had no idea that 75% of people own dogs and 50% own cats, which makes an April 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine on the cheapest place to buy pet food super relevant. The mag’s secret shoppers compared prices of 23 items and found:
- Target and Walmart have the best prices on pet good and supplies – about 20% lower than grocery stores
- Grocery stores never had the highest prices, however, so if convenience is important…
- PetSmart beat PetCo by an average of 13%
- Home delivery from online sites will cost you – about 50% more than at Target and Walmart. ShopSmart found some of the highest prices at PetFoodDirect.com and Petco.
As for prices on specific items, here are the best prices on eight popular pet items. (more…)
Didn't find any Easter chocolate? Credit: hoyasmeg/Flickr
Where are you shopping for Easter candy and decorations? The 99 Cents Only Store and other dollar stores have plenty of Easter goodies. I like shopping the dollar stores for disposable items that aren’t going to last long. Why pay more?
Here are Easter items you can pick up at 99 Cents Only.
- Easter baskets and grass (or use shredded newspaper)
- Easter themed candy – Russell Stover candy eggs are 2 for $.99
- Fillable plastic eggs prefect for egg hunts!
- Chocolate covered marshmallow chicks (8-packs)
- Easter gift bags
My Mom liked to hide our Easter baskets around the house along with chocolate eggs and jelly beans. Hunting for my basket with only “hot” and “cold” clues could be quite a trial and sometimes took more than an hour. One year she taped my basket to the underside of our dinning room table that had a floor-length tablecloth. Another year it was buried deep in the recycling. Once I found it, underneath a chocolate bunny and other candy was a small present, like new underwear or socks. My Mom always made Easter so fun!
It snowed yesterday. I can't wait for summer vacation!
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Summer vacation on the brain? There are five ways to screw up your chances of getting a cheap flight. (FareCompare)
If you want advice and reviews before you buy online, a new site called ShopSquad connects you with real people who will share their experience and advice to help you find the right product. If you are an expert, you can get paid for recommending products.
Walmart launches same day pick up when you order online. (WalletPop)
Coupon clippers toss around abbreviations like WYB and OOP. Bargain Briana has a neat run down of what the coupon lingo means.
What kind of an investor are you? The Digerati Life has a quiz on the best investing choices for you.
Amazon.com
There are 16 coupons and freebies – more to come later today! If you shop online, check if there is a cash back rebate for shopping through Ebates. It’s free to join and you can save a bit extra.
Free movie drink - Buy any popcorn and get a free small drink at Regal Cinemas, United Artists, or Edward Theaters.
Hot! Carters coupons – This Carters coupon gets you 50% off almost everything at Carters online and in stores. Spend $50 or more online and get an extra 20% off!!!
Victoria’s Secret sale - Get 7 panties for $25.50 – that’s a hot deal! Use Victoria’s Secret coupon code 7 PANTIES. Expires Mar. 28, 2011.
Major mag sale – Amazon is having a huge magazine sale
Shop the Look deal – Pay $15 for $35 at ShopTheLook, and online fashion site with this Groupon discount.
LA Times – Pay $10 for 52 weeks of the Sunday LA Times. That is a hot deal! Not sure if you can add this onto an existing subscription, but it’s worth trying. (more…)
One of my secrets for finding freebies and printable coupons is MySavings.com. I first learned about the site through another frugal blogger more than a year ago. Since then, I’ve saved more dollars than I can keep track of. MySavings.com also has great deals that I pass onto you in my daily round ups.
If you already use online coupon sites to save money on food, check out MySavings.com’s grocery coupons. When I last checked, there were three different coupon booklets with a combined database of more than 221 coupons! Plus, you can get electronic coupons on your smartphone through Cellfire. Some that caught my eye were:
- $.75 off Fiber One cereals
- $1 off Pompian Olive Oil (multiple varieties)
- $1 off any Smart Balance milk product
- $1 off any three Balance Bars
- $3 off any Zicam product
You can also search for coupons by category, zip code, and brand. So if you’re on the hunt for grocery coupons and printable coupons, remember to check MySavings.com before heading to the store.
This is paid content. Interested in an ad? Read my blog advertising page.
basykes/Flickr
Reader Linda wrote in asking about a Los Angeles bookstore renown for its discounts.
Do you know what happened to A&M Book Cellers on Vanowen they are not there anymore. Did they go out or did they move and if so do you know where they moved to? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Like minded readers sad to see the bookstore close posted on Yelp that A&M’s last day in business was in June, 2010. However, the store lives on online at Massoglia Books. Not quite the same as browsing the $.25 bargain corner of A&M or getting the silent treatment from the lady behind the counter, but the online book store has “a wide selection of used paperback and hardcover titles. Science Fiction, Mystery and Romance make up the largest portion of our listings…”
Now that A&M is closed where do you go for cheap books – assuming you are not looking for free Kindle books or free electronic books? Leave a comment so everyone can benefit.
Got a question or a deal to share? Email me!
There are 20 coupons and freebies today! If you shop online, check if there is a cash back rebate for shopping through Ebates. It’s free to join and you can save a bit extra.
Expired! Free Suave - Today is the day to get full sized bottle of Suave for free on Facebook. To the first 200,000.
Warning: The Sephora free makeup offer may be a fake.
Tomorrow! Free glasses – Get a free pair of prescription glasses through CoastalContacts.com.
Free Nescafe – Get five free samples of Nescafe instant coffee (looks like a rival to Starbucks’ VIA) when you register on the company’s site. Unclear how long these will last.
Free NetiPot – NeilMed is giving away free Neti pots through Facebook. One per household. If you already got one, you are not eligible. (more…)
