Freebie – Get a free sample of Life Choice Yummy New Bars through Walmart.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Calcet Creamy Bites Dietary Supplement.

Freebie – Receive a free sample of Shout Color Catcher through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Get a free sample of Play 2-in-1 Daily Facials through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Request a free sample Gerber Generation Backpack through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Share a bit of info to get a free sample of Quaker Oatmeal Squares through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Purex Triple Action Detergent through FreeFlys.

HOT! Free Ben & Jerry’s – Visit a participating Ben & Jerry’s to get a free sample of Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream ice cream on Valentine’s Day between 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

HOT! Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is providing a two-for-one beverage offer on Feb. 14! Participating locations will give you a second drink for your sweetheart or friend for free at equal or lesser value.

Glamour mag deal – Purchase a subscription to Glamour Magazine for only $3.99 using Tanga coupon code “SAVINGS”.

Elizabeth Arden deal – Take $20 off orders of $100 or more at Elizabeth Arden. Enter Elizabeth Arden code LOVE20 at checkout. Ends Feb. 29.

Picaboo deal – ENDS TODAY at midnight! Save up to 50% off Valentine’s Day gifts with Picaboo code CUPID.

Free mag - Get 20 free magazine issues of FamilyFun mag in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $4 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code DATENIGHT. Expires Feb. 9, 2012. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month).

Mag deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Feb. 7 Budget Travel ($5.29); Feb. 8 Elle Decor ($5.29); Feb. 9 Bridal Guide; Feb. 10 Golf Tips; Feb. 11 Garden & Gun; Feb. 12 Muscle & Fitness ($6.99). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXCJ0212. Offer expires Feb. 12, 2012.

Dollar General – Get $5 off a $25 purchase with this Dollar General coupon. Valid in store Feb. 11 only!

HauteLook – Get 50-75% off today’s best designer brands for women, beauty, home, kids, men and travel. Join HauteLook for free.

Avenue.com – Save 30% on your highest priced item when you buy 3 or more items at Avenue Plus Size. Use Avenue.com coupon AV121036 through Feb. 29.

ShoeMall.com – Get 30% off sandals plus free shipping! Use ShoeMall.com code SANDALS. Valid Feb. 8 through Feb. 14.

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Michael’s coupon – Save 40% off any one regular price item with this Michael’s coupon.

MyPublisher – Save up to 70% off with photo books free pages! Use MyPublisher coupon code GIFT3570.

Banana Republic – Save 20% off shoes and accessories at BananaRepublic.com with promo code BRPERFECT through Feb. 11.  To save 30% off your purchase use Banana Republic code BRSAVE30 at checkout. Ends Feb. 10!

Gap – TODAY ONLY! Shop Gap.com and save 15% off your entire purchase. Use GAP code GAP2012 at checkout. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Piperlime – Take 20% off cold weather boots at Piperlime.com! Enter the Piperlime code BOOTS at checkout. Ends Feb. 8. Free shipping and free returns. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Kohl’s – Five hours only! Save an extra 20% off when you spend $100 or more, or save 15% off on any purchase. Offers are good from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. EST. Use Kohl’s codes SAVE20EST or SAVE15EST. Save an extra 4% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Lowe’s – Get 10% off All Major Appliances $299 & above at Lowe’s. Get an extra 6% back when you shop through Ebates.

Southwest – Receive up to 50% off hotel stays nationwide with FREE nights, FREE room upgrades, resort credits, and more with Southwest! Book Feb. 3 – March 1. Get an extra 2.5% back on vacation packages through Ebates.

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

Rite Aid – Common Sense with Money has the Rite Aid coupon deals including Stayfree or Carefree for as low as free, Reach Toothbrush for $.99 each, and 7-UP 2 liters for $.75.

CVS – Bargain Briana has all the CVS coupon deals for this week, including free Zarbee’s Children’s Cough Syrup, Purex 3-in-1 or Crystals are buy one, get one free,  and Mars Chocolate or Wrigley Singles are buy one, get one free.

Target – Common Sense with Money shares this week’s Target coupon deals. Highlights include Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Cake Mix for $.92, Mentos Up2U Gum Single Pack for $.29, YoCrunch Yogurt Cups for $.30, and Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm for $.99. Go to Target’s online coupons.

Walgreens – Get all the Walgreens coupon deals later today.

Staples – Hip 2 Save will post the hot Staples coupons later today. Go straight to the Staples site.

Coupon Database – Get all the latest coupons from online sources, magazines, and in store offers through our free Coupon Database.

Drugstore rewards comparison – Bargain Babe recently compared the drugstore rewards programs for CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens to determine which store has the best policy.

New to coupons? Check out Bargain Babe’s post on  coupon clipping basics. If you want to take advantage of these deals, make sure to save the coupon inserts you receive in the mail or with your Sunday newspaper. Here’s a great suggestion for how to handle coupon organization. Clicking on these coupon links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.

Free Yogutland today!!! //ZERO / Flickr

There are 27 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

Freebie – Like the Versace Yellow Diamond Facebook Page to get a free sample.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Olay 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths by sharing some basic info.

Free Ben & Jerry’s – Visit a participating Ben & Jerry’s to get a free sample of Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream ice cream on Valentine’s Day between 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Free Yogurtland – TODAY ONLY! Participating Yogurtland locations are celebrating National Frozen Yogurt Day with free samples from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Free mag - Get 8 free magazine issues of Marlin mag in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site.

Michael’s coupon – Save 40% off any one regular price item with this Michael’s coupon.

MyPublisher – Save up to 70% off with photo books free pages! Use MyPublisher coupon code GIFT3570.

Dollar General – Get $5 off a $25 purchase with this Dollar General coupon. Valid in store Feb. 11 only!

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $4 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code DATENIGHT. Expires Feb. 9, 2012. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month).

Mag deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only.  Feb. 6 Fitness; Feb. 7 Budget Travel ($5.29); Feb. 8 Elle Decor ($5.29); Feb. 9 Bridal Guide; Feb. 10 Golf Tips; Feb. 11 Garden & Gun; Feb. 12 Muscle & Fitness ($6.99). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXCJ0212. Offer expires Feb. 12, 2012.

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

HauteLook – Get 50-75% off today’s best designer brands for women, beauty, home, kids, men and travel. Join HauteLook for free.

HOT! Krispy Kreme deal – Participating Krispy Kreme locations are giving away 12 Valentine’s Day cards free when you buy one dozen doughnuts (while supplies last) through Feb. 14. The V-Day cards have a free Krispy Kreme doughnut coupon attached. YUM! These are my fave.

Picaboo deal – Save up to 50% off Valentine’s Day gifts with Picaboo code CUPID. Offer ends Feb. 7 at midnight PST.

elf cosmetics – ENDS TODAY! Get 10 free Mineral Eyeshadows, a $30 value, with orders of $25 or more. Use elf coupon code DELIGHT.

Avenue.com – Save 30% on your highest priced item when you buy 3 or more items at Avenue Plus Size. Use Avenue.com coupon AV121036 through Feb. 29.

Perry Ellis – ENDS TODAY! Shop the Perry Ellis Valentine’s Day Collection and get 30% off! Use Perry Ellis coupon code PEVDAY30.

Shoes.com – Get an extra 20% off all sale boots and shoes. Use Shoes.com code 20SALE.

PacSun – Get 15% off $100 plus free shipping, use PacSun code PACSUNVALENTINE.

Gap – ENDS TODAY! Take 20% off your Gap.com purchase GAP promo code GAPEVENT. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Old Navy – ENDS TODAY! Save 25% off at OldNavy.com, only online! Enter Old Navy promo code GAMEDAY. Get an extra 7% back when you shop through Ebates.

Banana Republic – TODAY ONLY! Shop early and save more! Save 35% off entire purchase until 11 a.m. EST at BananaRepublic.com with code BRTICKTOCK. From 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. save 30% and from 5 p.m. – 11:59 p.m. save 25% off. Save 20% off shoes and accessories at BananaRepublic.com with promo code BRPERFECT through Feb. 11.

Kohl’s – Online only! Take an extra 15% off selected Spring Break essentials. Use Kohl’s promo code FAMFUN15 through Feb.9. Save an extra 4% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Southwest – Receive up to 50% off hotel stays nationwide with FREE nights, FREE room upgrades, resort credits, and more with Southwest! Book Feb. 3 – March 1. Get an extra 2.5% back on vacation packages through Ebates.

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA. Today’s hottest freebies, deals, and coupons. http://www.bargainbabe.com

Get the AMC ticket deal through Groupon! samantha celera / Flickr

There are 36 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

Freebie – Download AllFreeCopycatRecipes, a free eCookbook that includes recipes for Girl Scout Cookies.

Freebie – Request a free Remedy Life magazine and samples through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Get a free sample of Nordic Naturals Fish Oil. This is good for those that don’t like the taste of fish. I prefer to eat fish for dinner.

Freebie – Request a free sample of o.b. trial pack. The tampons come in a cute and discreet packet.

Free mag - Get 8 free magazine issues of Marlin in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site.

Whole Foods sale – TODAY ONLY! Organic navel oranges are on sale for only $.79/lb!

AMC tix – Buy 2 or 4 AMC Silver Experience movie tickets through Groupon and get them up to half off. Two tickets are $12 for ($24 value) and 4 tickets are $24 ($48 value). You’ll receive the tickets in the mail.

Sephora freebie – Beauty Insiders can get two weeks worth of Smashbox’s BB creme for free with any online merchandise purchase of $25 or more. Enter Sephora code SMASHBB.

Family Circle mag – TODAY ONLY! Subscribe to Family Circle Magazine for just $3.99/year from DiscountMags.com! Use promo code 2782.

Michael’s coupon – Get $5 off every $25 you spend with this Michael’s coupon.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $3 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate. Use promo code SCORE at checkout. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month). Ends Feb. 5!

Magazine deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Feb. 3 Rider ($5.29); Feb. 4 Shooting Sportsman ($15.49); Feb. 5 Dog Fancy ($10.49). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXSS0205. Offer expires Feb. 5, 2012.

Right at Home – Get free time-saving tips and recipes, and offers when you sign up for free.

HauteLook – Get 50-75% off today’s best designer brands for women, beauty, home, kids, men and travel. Join HauteLook for free.

Entertainment book deal – TODAY ONLY! Get 40% off all 2012 Entertainment Books with free shipping with this Groundhog Day Sale. Save an extra 25-35% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

HOT! Krispy Kreme deal – Participating Krispy Kreme locations are giving away 12 Valentine’s Day cards free when you buy one dozen doughnuts (while supplies last) through Feb. 14. The V-Day cards have a free Krispy Kreme doughnut coupon attached. YUM! These are my fave.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $3 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate. Use promo code SCORE at checkout. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month). Offer ends Feb. 5.

Starbucks deal – Through Feb. 4, get any Starbucks breakfast sandwiches or wraps for $2 with a purchase of a drink!

Harbor Freight Tools – This week’s Harbor Freight Tools coupons are up! They’re having a giant tool sale. Ends. Feb. 5.

Picaboo deal – Save up to 50% off Valentine’s Day gifts with Picaboo code CUPID. Offer ends Feb. 7 at midnight PST.

elf cosmetics – Get 10 free Mineral Eyeshadows, a $30 value, with orders of $25 or more. Use elf coupon code DELIGHT. Offer Feb. 6.

New Balance – Save an extra 10% off on all accessories thru Feb. 15 at New balance.

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

This weekend! Free museums with B of A card - Get into more than 150 museums nationwide on Feb. 4-5, 2012, the first full weekend of every month, with your Bank of America/Merrill Lynch debit or credit card as part of its museums on us program. The freebie includes general admission and excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows and fundraising events. Only the cardholder gets in free.

Banana Republic – Starting today, shop BananaRepublic.com and get 25% off full-priced Styles! Use Banana Republic code BRSUPER. Ends Feb. 5.

Land’s End – ENDS TODAY! Save up to 65% at Land’s End Warehouse Event. Get free shipping with Land’s End promo code CANDY and PIN 3015. Get an extra 6% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Target – Get 25% off all clothing and accessories for 3 hours only at Target.com on Feb. 8 only from 6-9 p.m. ET!  Use Target promo code TGTQC4PT.

Williams Sonoma – Get 20% off on all bedding and bath. Use Williams Sonoma promo code WHITEALE. Not sure when this ends.

Avenue.com – Save 30% on your highest priced item when you buy 3 or more items at Avenue Plus Size. Use Avenue.com coupon AV121036 through Feb. 29.

Kohl’s – Get an extra 15% off everything in-store, online, and at the kiosk. Shop online With Kolh’s promo code EXTRA15YES through Feb. 5. Shop in-store through 5 with this pass. Save an extra 4% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Vistaprint – Today’s Vistaprint deal includes customized magnet puzzles! That’s $4.99 for a small magnet (11.25″ x 8.5″) or $9.99 for a large one (17.3″ x 11.25″), including free shipping! Save an extra 10% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Disney – Save up to 30% on baby apparel, toys and more at the Disney Store’s baby sale. For a limited time only! Get an extra 8% back when you shop through Ebates.

Perry Ellis – Shop the Perry Ellis Valentine’s Day Collection and get 30% off! Use Perry Ellis coupon code PEVDAY30. Ends Feb. 6!

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

Winner announced below!

I asked you to share the last time you had checked your credit report for a chance to win “The Complete Credit Repair Kit” by Brette McWhorter Sember. The responses left on my book review varied tremendously. Before announcing the winner, I want to thank everyone who participated!

I was glad to learn that many of our readers are checking their credit report on a consistent basis. Make sure you’re not paying for it, though. You can get a free credit report every year through AnnualCreditReport.com!

I finally settled on giving the book to someone who is struggling to get mistakes corrected on her credit report.

The winner is Phyllis Greenspan. She wrote:

Want to read out the book? Buy it on Amazon for $15.87 (orig. $19.99) or check your local library for a copy.

This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

Get 12 Valentine's Day cards free with free Krispy Kreme doughnut coupon attached! ginnerobot / Flickr

UPDATED! There are now 35 coupons and freebies. I just added a Living Social deal for Overstock.com below. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

Freebie – Get a free eCookbook to treat your loved ones with sweet treats.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Hugo Boss’ Boss fragrance.

Freebie – Get a free sample of Welch’s Fruit Snacks.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Purex Triple Action Liquid.

Freebie – Send your love a free one-night Redbox rental when you send him/her a virtual Valentine’s Day card through the Redbox Facebook page. This offer is good only on February 14.

Free mag - Get 6 free magazine issues of WaterSki mag in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site.

Right at Home – Get free time-saving tips and recipes, and offers when you sign up for free.

HauteLook – Get 50-75% off today’s best designer brands for women, beauty, home, kids, men and travel. Join HauteLook for free.

Restaurant.com coupon - TODAY ONLY! Pay $5 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate. Use promo code PHIL at checkout. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month).

Starbucks deal – Through Feb. 4, get any Starbucks breakfast sandwiches or wraps for $2 with a purchase of a drink!

Harbor Freight Tools – This week’s Harbor Freight Tools coupons are up! They’re having a giant tool sale. Ends. Feb. 5

Entertainment book deal – TODAY ONLY! Get 40% off all 2012 Entertainment Books with free shipping with this Groundhog Day Sale. Save an extra 25-35% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Parents mag – TODAY ONLY! Subscribe to Parents magazine for just $3.99/year from DiscountMags.com! Use promo code 1899.

PacSun sale – Women’s Camis and Tees Buy One, Get One 50% Off with this PacSun click-through coupon!

Harry and David – Get 20% off Valentines gifts with Harry and David code VAL20. Ends Feb. 14.

ULTA – Get $15 off $75 and get free shipping with ULTA code AFP112. Good through Feb. 15.

Magazine deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Feb. 2 Consumer Reports ($25.95); Feb. 3 Rider ($5.29); Feb. 4 Shooting Sportsman ($15.49); Feb. 5 Dog Fancy ($10.49). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXSS0205. Offer expires Feb. 5, 2012.

HOT! Krispy Kreme deal – Participating Krispy Kreme locations are giving away 12 Valentine’s Day cards free when you buy one dozen doughnuts (while supplies last) through Feb. 14. The V-Day cards have a free Krispy Kreme doughnut coupon attached!!! YUM!

Picaboo deal – Save up to 50% off Valentine’s Day gifts with Picaboo code CUPID. Offer ends Feb. 7 at midnight PST.

Best Buy - Use Best Buy coupon code “CouponsGeek15″ to get 15% off Geek Squad Online Remote Support.

elf cosmetics – Get 10 free Mineral Eyeshadows, a $30 value, with orders of $25 or more. Use elf coupon code DELIGHT. Offer Feb. 6.

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Cardstore.com – Get 20% off Valentine’s Day cards plus free shipping. Use Cardstore.com code SHOPHOME20.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

This weekend! Free museums with B of A card - Get into more than 150 museums nationwide on Feb. 4-5, 2012, the first full weekend of every month, with your Bank of America/Merrill Lynch debit or credit card as part of its museums on us program. The freebie includes general admission and excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows and fundraising events. Only the cardholder gets in free.

Gap – TODAY ONLY! Catch the 6 hour flash sale at Gap.com! Take 25% off your purchase. Use Gap code GAPHAPPY at checkout. Starts at 12 PM ET and ends at 6 PM ET. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Banana Republic – ENDS TODAY! Save 40% off select women’s sweaters and pants at BananaRepublic.com.

Perry Ellis – Shop the Perry Ellis Valentine’s Day Collection and get 30% off! Use Perry Ellis coupon code PEVDAY30. Ends Feb. 6!

Reebok – Get 20% off all toning and shaping products with Reebok promo code REESHAPE online only! Valid on footwear and apparel items between Feb. 3- Feb. 9.

Kohl’s – Get an extra 15% off everything in-store, online, and at the kiosk. Shop online With Kolh’s promo code EXTRA15YES through Feb. 5. Shop in-store Feb. 3 through 5 with this pass. Save an extra 4% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Vistaprint – Get a photo flip book for $4.99 including free shipping from Vistaprint! Save an extra 10% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Dell – Save 20% on select desktop and laptop accessories with Dell coupon code N521F6P86FD1WN. Save an extra 1-4% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Overstock.com – Pay $10 for $20 to spend at Overstock.com through this national Living Social deal.

Clicking on these links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

Score a coupon for a free Amy's Burrito from Dr. Oz!!! MTB Vegan / Flickr

UPDATED: There are now 36 coupons and freebies. I just added 3 national Living Social deals including a HOT deal for The Body Shop! If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

Freebie – Request a free sample of a Lacoste male fragrance for your guy or you! Sometimes these smell better than women’s perfume.

Freebie – Win a coupon for a free burrito from The Dr. Oz Show. Check his website TODAY at 3 p.m. ET to score a free Amy’s Light in Sodium Bean & Rice Burrito. These will go fast!!!

Freebie – This Vistaprint freebie is still on! Get a free customized T-shirt, just pay for shipping and processing! The difference between the $2 customized T-shirt is that you have to use their designs for the freebie.

Freebie – Like the Quaker Facebook page to get a free sample of Quaker Oatmeal Squares.

Free mag - Get 12 free magazine issues of Transworld Motocross in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site. This makes a good gift!!!

thredUp sale – Get 20% off your first box of pre-loved spring clothing on thredUP.com. Use thredUP.com code SPRING20 at check-out. Valid through Feb. 8, 2012.

Rolling Stones mag – Purchase a subscription to Rolling Stone magazine for only $3.99 using Tanga coupon code “SAVINGS”.

Danskin – Get $10 off any $50 or more leggings order. Use Danskin coupon code 10OFFLG.

Peapod – Get $10 Off Your First Order at Peapod.com. Use Peapod.com code PPAFF10 through Feb. 29.

Picaboo deal – Save up to 50% off Valentine’s Day gifts with Picaboo code CUPID. Offer ends Feb. 7 at midnight PST.

Magazine deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Feb. 1 Cat Fancy ($10.49); Feb. 2 Consumer Reports ($25.95); Feb. 3 Rider ($5.29); Feb. 4 Shooting Sportsman ($15.49); Feb. 5 Dog Fancy ($10.49). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXSS0205. Offer expires Feb. 5, 2012.

eCampus.com – Enter eCampus.com code ZINGERS to receive $5 off orders over $100.

Blooms Today – Get 50% off Valentine’s flowers and gifts from this fourth largest online florist retailer.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $10 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate. Not sure when this expires. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month).

Vistaprint – LAST DAY! Get $2 customized T-shirts from Vistaprint. Shipping starts at $4.41. You can also get an 80 page notebook from Vistaprint for $4.99 with free shipping! Save an extra 10% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Starbucks deal – Through Feb. 4, get any Starbucks breakfast sandwiches or wraps for $2 with a purchase of a drink!

Harbor Freight Tools – This week’s Harbor Freight Tools coupons are up! They’re having a giant tool sale. Ends. Feb. 5

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Better Homes & Gardens mag – TODAY ONLY! Subscribe to Better Homes & Gardens magazine for just $4.50/year from DiscountMags.com! Use promo code 7601.

TextbookStop.com – Get 5% off when you rent or buy textbooks from TextbookStop.com. Expiration date not given.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Target – Save Up to 20% on baby bedding and decor at Target.com through Feb. 4 only!

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Hollywood Toys and Costumes – Use coupon code REMATCH-D10 and get $10 off a purchase of $65 or more in merchandise! Offer is valid site-wide, including all football, Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras products. Expires Feb. 6, 2012.

Best Buy - Use Best Buy coupon code “CouponsGeek15″ to get 15% off Geek Squad Online Remote Support.

elf cosmetics – Get 10 free Mineral Eyeshadows, a $30 value, with orders of $25 or more. Use elf coupon code DELIGHT. Offer Feb. 6.

This weekend! Free museums with B of A card - Get into more than 150 museums nationwide on Feb. 4-5, 2012, the first full weekend of every month, with your Bank of America/Merrill Lynch debit or credit card as part of its museums on us program. The freebie includes general admission and excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows and fundraising events. Only the cardholder gets in free.

PacSun sale – Women’s Camis and Tees Buy One, Get One 50% Off with this PacSun click-through coupon!

Harry and David – Get 20% off Valentines gifts with Harry and David code VAL20. Ends Feb. 14.

ULTA – Get $15 off $75 and get free shipping with ULTA code AFP112. Good through Feb. 15.

Entertainment book deal – Get 35% off all 2012 Entertainment Books with only $1.99 for shipping. Get yours now! Save an extra 25-35% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Kohl’s – Get 60-80% off in this Kolh’s clearance sale. Plus, get $.99 standard shipping on every item. Save an extra 4% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

HOT! The Body Shop- Pay $10 for $20 to spend in-store on bath, body, and beauty merchandise. Get this deal through Living Social. Love these deals – wait for a sale to use the voucher!

Picaboo deal – Pay $10 and receive a 20-page 8.5×11 Classic Custom hardcover photo book (a $40 value), or pay $20 for an 11×14 version (a $60 value) through Living Social.

Fannie May Fine Chocolates – Pay $15 for $30 to spend online on chocolates, gifts, and more. You can make a customized assortment of your love’s favorite chocolates! You’ll need to join Living Social to get this deal.

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Get two free Kind Bars for you and a friend! Eden Hensley Silverstein / Flickr

There are 31 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

Freebie – Request a free sample of Armani Code Sport.

Freebie – Get a free craft ebook! It’s packed 21 Valentine craft ideas for kids from homemade Valentines and decorations to gifts and school party crafts.

Freebie – Download a free Lipton Tea Recipe booklet through All You mag.

Freebie – Like the NeilMed Neti Pot Facebook page so you can request a free neti pot. These are so much fun to use!

Freebie – Get a free Kind Bar by clicking accept the mission and then fill out the form! You or a friend will receive an email to get access to the free Kind Bar. These are delicious!

HOT! All You mag – ENDS TODAY! Get 6 issues of All You magazine for just $1 an issue — that’s 80% off the cover price!

eCampus.com – Enter eCampus.com code ZINGERS to receive $5 off orders over $100.

Blooms Today – Get 50% off Valentine’s flowers and gifts from this fourth largest online florist retailer.

Disney mag – Purchase a subscription to Disney Family Fun magazine for only $3.99 through Tanga. Enter Tanga coupon code SAVINGS.

Starbucks deal – Through Feb. 4, get any Starbucks breakfast sandwiches or wraps for $2!

Harbor Freight Tools – This week’s Harbor Freight Tools coupons are up! They’re having a giant tool sale. Ends. Feb. 5

Shoes.com – Get an extra 20% off all sales boots and shoes. Use Shoes.com code 20SALE at checkout.

Target – Save Up to 20% on baby bedding and decor at Target.com through Feb. 4 only!

Free mag - Get 6 free magazine issues of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site.

Elizabeth Arden – ENDS TODAY! Get 25% off any order from Elizabeth Arden. Use Elizabeth Arden code VDAY25.

Hollywood Toys and Costumes – Use coupon code REMATCH-D10 and get $10 off a purchase of $65 or more in merchandise! Offer is valid site-wide, including all football, Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras products. Expires Feb. 6, 2012.

Best Buy - Use Best Buy coupon code “CouponsGeek15″ to get 15% off Geek Squad Online Remote Support.

Magazine deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Jan. 31 Guide Posts ($10.49); Feb. 1 Cat Fancy ($10.49); Feb. 2 Consumer Reports ($25.95); Feb. 3 Rider ($5.29); Feb. 4 Shooting Sportsman ($15.49); Feb. 5 Dog Fancy ($10.49). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXSS0205. Offer expires Feb. 5, 2012.

PacSun – ENDS TODAY! Get 20% off of outerwear only with this click-through coupon!

elf cosmetics – Get 10 free Mineral Eyeshadows, a $30 value, with orders of $25 or more. Use elf coupon code DELIGHT. Offer Feb. 6.

HOT! Restaurant.com coupon - LAST DAY! Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code DATE. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month).

Entertainment book deal – Get 35% off all 2012 Entertainment Books with only $1.99 for shipping. Get yours now! Save an extra 25-35% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Fitness mag – TODAY ONLY! Subscribe to Fitness Magazine for just $4.50/year from DiscountMags.com! Use promo code 8018.

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Macy’s – Save 20-70% off at the Macy’s Women’s Sale and Clearance.

Sephora – Get a complimentary Versace mini scent with purchase. Choose from Bright Crystal or Pour Homme. Enter Sephora code HISORHERS at online checkout.

Vistaprint – Get $2 customized T-shirts from Vistaprint. This offer is different from yesterday’s freebie! Shipping starts at $4.41. You can also get 250 Vistaprint business cards for $10 including shipping. Save an extra 10% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Sally Beauty coupon -  Get an extra 7% back through Ebates.

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Freebie – Get a free sample of Nescafe Taster’s Choice pack by liking their Facebook page.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Sleep Pretty in Pink women’s ear plugs. Great for those who are light sleepers!

Freebie – Get a free T-Shirt from Vistaprint. There are 36 designs to choose from.

Freebie – Download the free RecipeLion ebook. It’s packed with 60 pages of tasty appetizer recipes just in time for the big game!

Freebie – Get a free sample of Tena Twist through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Request a free sample of Versace Yellow Diamond Fragrance through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Score a free sample of Depend through FreeFlys.

Freebie – Get a coupon for a free Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Product through FreeFlys. There’s a limited number per day, but you can continue trying through March 4, 2012.

Blooms Today – Get 50% off Valentine’s flowers and gifts from this fourth largest online florist retailer.

Target – Save Up to 20% on baby bedding and decor at Target.com through Feb. 4 only!

HOT! All You mag – Get 6 issues of All You magazine for just $1 an issue — that’s 80% off the cover price! Offer ends Jan. 31.

Hollywood Toys and Costumes – Use coupon code REMATCH-D10 and get $10 off a purchase of $65 or more in merchandise! Offer is valid site-wide, including all football, Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras products. Expires Feb. 6, 2012.

Best Buy - Use Best Buy coupon code “CouponsGeek15″ to get 15% off Geek Squad Online Remote Support.

Magazine deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.29 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Jan. 30 Marie Claire; Jan. 31 Guide Posts ($10.49); Feb. 1 Cat Fancy ($10.49); Feb. 2 Consumer Reports ($25.95); Feb. 3 Rider ($5.29); Feb. 4 Shooting Sportsman ($15.49); Feb. 5 Dog Fancy ($10.49). Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXSS0205. Offer expires Feb. 5, 2012.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code DATE. (Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month). Ends Jan. 31.

Michael’s – Get 40% off any one regular priced item with this Michael’s coupon.

MyPublisher – The Valentine’s Day photo book sale ENDS TODAY! Get 20% off orders over $50 and 40% orders over $100. Use MyPublisher coupon code VAL2040.

Free mag - Get 12 free magazine issues of Cruising World in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary! Bargain Babe has scored many free subscriptions through this site.

Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code HAM. Expires Nov. 15, 2011. Not valid with gift cards, egift cards, and dinner of the month).

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Cat Fancy & Dog Fancy mag – TODAY ONLY! Subscribe to Cat Fancy & Dog Fancy Magazine for just $4.50/year from DiscountMags.com! Use promo code 7906.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

Reebok – Buy any footwear item and get 50% off an apparel item at online with Reebok coupon code RBKBOGO! Offer valid Jan. 27 through Feb. 2.

TurboTax – Get TurboTax Federal Free Edition free! You’ll be able to e-file and direct deposit your refund.

UPS My Choice – Sign up for free to get alerts before packages arrive! You can also electronically authorize packages for drop-of, and re-route to other locations.

ShoeMall – Get 20% off $50 or more sitewide! Plus free shipping. Use ShoeMall code SAVE20. Valid Feb. 1 through Feb. 7.

H&R Block – Get the free H&R Block free edition to prepare, print, and e-file your federal taxes! It’s guaranteed to be accurate.

American Greetings – Use America Greetings coupon code AGVAL99 for 99 Cent Valentine’s Day Cards.

PacSun – Get 20% off of outerwear through Jan. 31 only with this click-through link!

Entertainment book deal – Get 35% off all 2012 Entertainment Books with only $1.99 for shipping. Get yours now! Save an extra 25-35% in cash back when you shop through Ebates.

Disney – Buy One, Get One Free select plush at the Disney Store. This offer is for a limited time only! Get an extra 8% back when you shop through Ebates.

Lowe’s – There’s a clearance on grills at Lowe’s! You’ll find discounts up to 40% off while supplies last. Get an extra 6% back when you shop through Ebates.

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CVS – Bargain Briana has all the CVS coupon deals for this week, including free Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Cadbury’s, Reese’s Single Egg, or Mini Egg, Tom’s of Maine Deodorant, Toothpaste, or Mouthwash for $.99, EOS Lip Balm for $2.50 each, and Pantene Pro V  for $1.49 each.

Walgreens – Get all the Walgreens coupon deals for this week. Highlights include free TRUE2go Blood Glucose Monitor, free St. Joseph’s Enteric Aspirin, free Pur-Absorb Iron Supplement, and free Blink Tears Eye Care.

Rite Aid – Common Sense with Money has the Rite Aid coupon deals including Old Spice Body Wash or Spray for $1, Alka Seltzer or Alka Seltzer Plus for $.99, Dawn Dish Liquid for $.50, and Puffs Facial Tissues for $.91 each after coupon.

Target – This week’s list of Target coupon deals will be up later today. Go to Target’s online coupons.

Staples – Hip 2 Save will post the hot Staples coupons later today. Go straight to the Staples site.

Coupon Database – Get all the latest coupons from online sources, magazines, and in store offers through our free Coupon Database.

Drugstore rewards comparison – Bargain Babe recently compared the drugstore rewards programs for CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens to determine which store has the best policy.

New to coupons? Check out Bargain Babe’s post on  coupon clipping basics. If you want to take advantage of these deals, make sure to save the coupon inserts you receive in the mail or with your Sunday newspaper. Here’s a great suggestion for how to handle coupon organization. Clicking on these coupon links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.

TFDuesing/flickr

If you want something you don’t have the money for, figure out how to make it. (I’ve already talked about getting things by swapping or repurposing).

Personally, I have found that learning to make something is the best way to go. I get what I need, and I know how to repair it. Here are my five favorite sites to go to when I want to learn new things:

1. General instructions - Instructables - You can learn anything from how to carve a pumpkin to how to build your own computer to how to construct a rocket ship. Instructables has more pictures and instructions than videos.
2. Video tutorials - YouTube – Now that YouTube has grown beyond silly home videos, you can find all sorts of wonderful how-to videos. Check on the length of the video before choosing which one you want to watch. It’s pretty boring to watch a 10-minute video on how to tie a knot and it’s pretty useless to watch a 30-second video on how to do your taxes.
3. 5 minute Life Videopedia – Five minute videos about all sorts of stuff.
4. The ultimate handyman site - DIYnetwork – I also like HandymanUSA. These are both wonderful sites to go to when you want to know how to fix your broken doorknob or unclog your sink.
5. Hundreds of the best 18-minute talks on Technology, Education & Design - TED talks – Think of the very best speaker you ever heard. Now imagine the talk being no more than 18 minutes long. These are TED talks. My favorite ones are by Sir Ken Richardson on the subject of education.

There are so many things we pay for someone do for us that we could do ourselves. By hiring others to weed our gardens, cook our food, and fix every broken thing, we lose the joy of creating our own lives.  The internet gives us access to information that allows us to learn new things with a few clicks. Use it!

What are your favorite sites to learn new things?

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Staples - Hip 2 Save lists the hot Staples coupons including free BIC Briteliner Grip 5 pack, Zebra Black Mechanical Pencils 10 pack for $1, and Charmin Basic Bath Tissue 16 big rolls for $5.75. Go straight to the Staples site.

CVS – Bargain Briana has all the CVS coupon deals for this week, including free Estroven Maximum Strength, Blistex Deep Renewl, Fruit Smoothies, Silk & Shine, Medicated Oinment, or Revive & Restore for $.37, and Kotex, Always, or Carefree Pantiliners for $.49.

Walgreens - Get all the Walgreens coupon deals for this week. Highlights include free Renew Life Flush & Be Fit 14 Day Kit, free Ultimate Flurry Protein Bar, free TRUEresult Blood Glucose Monitor, and Colgate Pro Relief or Total Advanced Toothpaste or 360 Toothbrush for $1.

Target - This week’s list of Target coupon deals will be up later today. Go to Target’s online coupons.

Rite Aid - Common Sense with Money has the Rite Aid coupon deals including free UP2U, free Just For Men, and Finesse Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers for $.50.

Coupon Database - Get all the latest coupons from online sources, magazines, and in store offers through our free Coupon Database.

Drugstore rewards comparison - Bargain Babe recently compared the drugstore rewards programs for CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens to determine which store has the best policy.

New to coupons? Check out Bargain Babe’s post on coupon clipping basics. If you want to take advantage of these deals, make sure to save the coupon inserts you receive in the mail or with your Sunday newspaper. Here’s a great suggestion for how to handle coupon organization. Clicking on these coupon links supports BargainBabe.com. This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.

Glenn scored a FREE trip to Catalina Island on his birthday!

This is a guest post by longtime reader Glenn, who last year scored $199 in birthday freebies for $4 + tips. This year he redeemed 34 birthday offers worth an estimated $413.51, for just $26.54 + tips. Yowza!!!! Here are excerpts of his story:

Hopefully, some of you will be able to put some of this information to good use and gain personally during your birthday month.

Dec. 8 – This year I decided to redeem my $30 Benihana birthday certificate first. I ordered the Rocky’s Choice. The price went up from $24.60 to $25.10, but my total bill was still under $30 so my bill came out to $0.00 since I had water with my meal. As expected, the meal was delicious, but I am unaccustomed to waiting such a long time to be served everything. I was there a total of an hour and 45-minutes.

After Benihana, I drove to Buca di Beppo. I redeemed my free birthday brownie sundae. The brownie sundae was 1/6th of their colossal brownie sundae valued at $12.95. So I estimated that the serving I received had a value of $2.16. It was delicious. They gave me a very generous helping of whipped cream. And I also spent $.50 for 30-minutes of metered parking.

Dec. 13 – First stop en route to Las Vegas was Red Robin. Every new member of the Red Royalty Club automatically receives a welcome reward in the way of a free appetizer. I chose the triple riblet which had a value of $7.99. It was a bunch of pork ribs that were cut into small 2-inch manageable pieces with some steak fries at the bottom. Very tasty. I drank water with my food, so my server swiped my brand new membership card and said I was good to go.

Next stop was Dave & Busters. I received a birthday coupon for $10 worth of free gaming credits without purchase.

For dinner, I drove to the Las Vegas Hilton to redeem my $30 certificate to Benihana. Whoa! What? You’re probably saying that I had already used my $30 certificate at the Encino location. So how did I get a second one? Truthfully, I don’t know. Have you ever received a Sunday paper and instead of one coupon packet, there are two or sometimes three of the same packet? That may be what happened with the email that I received.

And if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, I received a total of three certificates all with different codes. Sweet. Now, I know that some of you may be screaming “greed,” “that’s unethical,” “stop thief,” or “throw the extras away.” I may be inclined to agree if I deliberately had a hand in receiving the extra certificates, but the error was on Benihana’s end. I felt completely in the right to use all three.

The Benihana restaurant located inside of the Las Vegas Hilton was super nice. I noticed the inflated prices of everything on the menu. The Rocky’s Choice I ordered in Encino was now priced at a whopping $39.95! This forced me to go with the hibachi steak valued at $29.95. Also, at this Benihana, they do apply the sales tax to the bill before applying the $30 certificate, so I owed them $.80. I put my tip and the tax on my visa card.

Dec. 14 – For dinner, I drove to the north edge of Las Vegas to redeem my free birthday burger from Ruby Tuesday. I had to drive nearly 10-miles out into the hicks and for a moment thought this freebie may not be worth it. But it turned out to be my favorite freebie of 2011. The reason was not because of the food (which was excellent), but because of the service that I received. The hostess seated me right away and a moment later a pretty young girl named Amber came over to introduce herself. She had a million dollar smile and a very good attitude. She informed me of the specials and handed me a menu. She returned less than a minute later with a tall glass of ice water. At this point, I showed her my free birthday burger certificate.

Some servers, when they see these print outs, react with a deflated look on their faces as though they know they’re going to make no money from this cheapskate. But Amber was genuinely happy that I was celebrating my birthday. She told me she wasn’t a big burger person herself, but she really liked the burgers there. She helped me to pick out the best burger that suited my tastes, so I chose the triple prime bacon cheddar gourmet burger which had a $12.49 value. They also had a lot of sides to choose from, and I was entitled to two sides. With her recommendation, I chose their garlic mashed potatoes and fries. I was going to try the macaroni and cheese, but she said that cheese sauce wasn’t up to par that night. I chose the fries over the baked potato because she said she could get me extra fries. She also brought me extra complimentary cheesy garlic biscuits. The burger was excellent. And the sides were very good too. In fact, she gave me so many fries, I had to ask for a take home box. I knew I wouldn’t eat anymore, but my pooch would love it for a snack upon my return. Amber was very efficient and instinctively knew when to come over to check on me, fill my drink without being asked and brought me extra napkins. By the end of the meal, I had to tell her that she was one of the very best servers I had ever come across. I thanked her for making me feel like a million bucks. In fact, I was so impressed by her that I asked to speak with her manager about her excellent service. This is something I almost never do. I left Amber an extra big tip as a show of my appreciation. This is something I rarely do.

Even though I was full, I hit another Vegas only location called Schlotzsky’s to get a free small turkey sandwich valued at $4.75. I took my order to go. Later, when I was relaxing in my room, I took a couple of bites out the sandwich, but either I was still too full or I just didn’t really care for it, so I gave the rest to my dog, Wasabi.

Dec. 15 – I checked out and drove to Silverton to use one last buffet coupon. The lunch buffet was only $9.99, and my coupon reduced that to $4.99. In addition, I had the cashier use up all of my available cash on my player’s card since any unused credits would be erased by the end of the year anyway. I was able to apply an additional $2.62 from my account, so I only had to charge $2.57 on my credit card. Pretty good for a really nice buffet.

Dec. 16 – For lunch I went to Daphne’s Greek café in Burbank. I got classic grilled chicken pita sandwich valued at $5.99. From there, I went to the Hooter’s restaurant to redeem my birthday entrée with a $7.99 max limit. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich valued at $7.99. My server informed me that they had a special which included fries for the same price. Naturally, I wanted the fries too. Most people criticize Hooters for their so-so food. I don’t think their food is the best either, but the pulled pork sandwich was very good.

For dessert, I drove to a Baskin Robbins less than a mile away to get my free birthday cone valued at $2.29. I chose a sugar cone and scoop of mint chocolate chip, which is my favorite ice cream flavor.

For dinner, I redeemed my free birthday meal from IHOP. The freebie was for the Rooty Tooty Fresh N’ Fruity, but in the fine print it says or another entrée of equal or lesser value. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger with onion rings, which had the same value at $7.49. As usual, I had ice water with my meal, so my bill came out to $0.00. Afterwards, I made a quick pit stop to my favorite Del Taco location and redeemed my free birthday milkshake for dessert. A $2.79 value. Up $.10 from the year before. But just like last year, I chose the chocolate flavor. Yummy.

Dec 17 – Claim Jumper’s changed their reward program. They joined a bunch of other restaurants to form a group called the Landry Club. There’s a one time fee of $25 to join. But for doing so, they’ll instantly give you a welcome reward of $25 the first time you use it. Also, for joining, they still give you a free birthday meal up to $25. Now, you can argue that since I had to pay $25 to join, I really paid $12.50 for each meal. I would agree with you. But next year and every subsequent year, I will still get a $25 birthday meal free and not have to pay additional fees. In addition, the $25 welcome aboard meal and $25 birthday meal are up in value from the $14 appetizer and $18 birthday meal when I joined their e-club last year. I ordered the pork and beef ribs platter valued at $24.99. It also came with two sides, so I ordered the mashed potatoes and baked potato.

Dec 18 – Today was the big day. The day I turned 45. It was also the day that I redeemed my most valuable birthday freebie to date. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Catalina Express is giving out free round trip passage to anyone traveling on their actual birthday. A $70.50 value. I found out that parking would cost $15, so this freebie wasn’t entirely free. But still I felt it was worth taking advantage of. The last time I went to Catalina, I was a young boy.

I was able to get a free game of bowling and a free charm bracelet as a birthday traveler at a couple of shops on Catalina. In hindsight, I should have rented a golf cart so I could explore a lot more of the island. As it were, I stuck to the famous shoreline and spent my time there. I quickly found out how expensive it was to eat there. I finally settled on a corner hole-in-the-wall place that had a cheeseburger special that came with fries and Coke for $6.75. They had no tables, so I found a spot on the beach’s edge. No sooner than I sat down there were about a dozen pigeons within 5 feet of me. A couple of them had no problem coming within 2 feet of me. Normally, I would toss a few fries, but I was so hungry that I ate them all. I then proceeded to unwrap my cheeseburger. The first bite was great. The second bite was good too, but then everything went to hell.

Something large reached over my right shoulder and plucked the meat patty out from between the buns and tossed it on the ground in front of me. It was large seagull. The whole thing happened so fast, I didn’t have time to react. I just sat there shocked as I watched the seagulls and pigeons attack that patty like a swarm of land piranhas. It was all gone in less than 30-seconds.

At least two people witnessed the incident. One guy was laughing and a woman told me, “Don’t feel too bad. Last week, they stole my entire hotdog from me before I could taking a bite.” About an hour later, I had calmed down enough to be able to look back and laugh at the situation myself.

Dec. 20 – At Shakey’s Pizza, the buffet had a value of $7.49, but you were required to purchase a beverage at a cost of $2.60. The buffet was okay. They had several kinds of pizzas available, but I focused on the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and garlic bread.

Dec. 21 – Today I received an email from Restaurants.com for a free $10 certificate, so I redeemed it.

Dec. 23 – For lunch, I went to Rubios Fresh Mexican Grill out in Glendale. I ordered the steak big burrito valued at $6.79. Very good. Then I drove to Fuddruckers in Burbank to redeem my free 1/3lb burger valued at $5.75. Then I walked next door to Ben & Jerry’s to get my free birthday scoop valued at $4.50. Places like Baskin Robbins, Coldstones and Ben & Jerry’s mark their product up way too high, but I don’t mind getting my free birthday scoop. Otherwise, I’ll continue to buy my ice cream on sale at the grocery store.

Dec. 25 – Due to my atypical work schedule, I spent Christmas Day alone. Luckily, the El Torito’s restaurant in Burbank was open. So I went there to get my free birthday meal. This year, they put a max limit of $12.99 on the coupon. There was no limit the previous year. I ordered the shredded beef burrito especial valued at $11.19. I love authentic Mexican-style restaurants because of the endless complimentary chips and salsa. At the end of my meal, my server brought me an unexpected surprise. He brought me a birthday flan for dessert complete with a burning candle. A $4.79 value. I appreciated it, but I was so full that I could only eat about half of it. I boxed it up along with the unfinished chips and gave it to my dog.

Dec. 26 – Today, I decided to have lunch at Acapulco’s. Just like El Torito’s, they put a maximum value of $12.99 on my birthday entrée. The two places are under the same ownership so they share a lot in common, but have subtle differences to stand apart. I ordered the gigante shredded beef burrito valued at $11.99. This burrito was very similar to the burrito especial, except it did not come with a scoop of Spanish rice or a scoop of refried beans. I thought I was ordering an entrée, but the burrito came a la carte. The burrito was very good and filling.

Dec. 27 – Tonight was the night I used my third and final $30 Benihana Birthday Certificate. I made plans to meet a friend for dinner at the Puente Hills location. The first thing I would discover was that it’s a good idea to call ahead and make reservations. Since I typically go during lunchtime, it never occurred to me to make a reservation, so we ended up waiting about 70-minutes before we were called. But we got one of the best spots to eat in the joint. Our hostess led us to the far back corner in a semi-enclosed dining area with only one other teppan grill across from us, and my friend and I sat in the seats with our backs facing the rear wall so we could look out into the restaurant. My friend was born in December too, so we both whipped out our $30 certificates. She ordered the Splash & Meadow, and I ordered the Rocky’s Choice once again.

Dec. 28 – Today was my day off, so I got an early jump and headed north to Bakersfield to spend Christmas with my godson’s family. I stopped at the mall in Bakersfield first to grab lunch at Red Robin’s and use my new Red Royalty card to redeem my free birthday meal. Even though I have been redeeming free birthday meals for awhile now, I still have a lot to learn. Last year, I had such a good time because I received great service above and beyond what I had expected that I rated the Red Robin experience 4th best.

This year, Red Robin’s ranking will fall a little bit because I made the mistake of accepting a seat at the bar as opposed to telling the hostess that I wanted a table. There was only one bartender for the whole restaurant, and he clearly did not like taking on the roll of a waiter. Drinks, no problem. But heaven forbid that he had to stop what he was doing and pick up an order of food. Had I insisted on a booth, service would have been a lot faster. Especially when it came to getting reloads of my bottomless fries. The bartender was slow as an ox. I eventually succeeded in getting two extra baskets of fries, but I wasted about 20-minutes in the process. Also, I did not get a surprise vanilla ice cream sundae like last year. Truly the worst mistake of the year by agreeing to sit at the bar. Lesson learned. I still left a tip in case anyone was wondering.

Dec. 29 – I took a small detour into Canyon Country to redeem a 1 hour unlimited pass at Mountasia. I had my choice of miniature golf, bumper boats, rock climbing, or gas-powered go-karts. I managed to get in 3 go-kart races before my time ran out. They don’t keep official score as to placement, but I believe I finished in first place in all three races. No one ever passed me. I avoided all the stalled cars and crashes. And I lapped every single car. Hard to put a value on this one since they don’t sell 1 hour passes. But based on the prices on the wall, I figured each race had a value of $6.67. Pretty sweet.

Dec. 30 – Today was Claim Jumper’s day. According to the Landry Club, my free birthday meal had to be redeemed before my birthday month was up. But my first stop was Carrow’s restaurant to redeem my free birthday dessert. When I got there, the friendly manager, Ramon, greeted me and said, “Happy birthday.” He saw my printed coupon in my hand. I chose to get their Bumpy Monkey Sundae which consisted of one banana cut into four halves, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, a very generous dollop of real whipped cream and decorative hot fudge striping. Value – $3.99.

Next up was the Macaroni Grill in Northridge. I received a coupon for a free birthday dessert and decided to redeem it since the place was only a football field away from my real target, Claim Jumpers. The hostess seated me right away, and then I met my server. I presented her with my birthday coupon for a free dessert. The first words out of her mouth were, “Don’t you have to buy an entrée with that?” I took a momentary pause while looking at her. I said, “No. Why don’t you read it for yourself?” As I handed it to her. She was squinting and scrutinizing over it for a good while. “I’ll have to show this to my manager and get approval.” She returned after a few minutes to say the coupon was approved. I selected their chocolate cake.

When it arrived, the cake was very warm to the touch as though it was baked to order. And it probably was judging from the fancy porcelain deep dish it same in. The cake was accompanied by a small container of hot fudge. The cake was delicious without the added fudge. I did leave a tip even though my server left a lot to be desired. But in my mind, I wasn’t leaving it for her. I left it for the busboy that had to bus my table after I left and for the person that had to wash my dirty dish and silverware. Also, the dessert menu did not have any prices, so I have no idea how much this freebie was worth. But if I were to guess, I could see a place like that charging at least $5.99 for it.

Then came the real reason for my excursion to the far northeastern edge of the valley – Claim Jumpers. I already knew from the previous visit that I was going to order the pork and beef rib combo platter – $24.99 value, but I took a couple of minutes to look over the menu anyway. I decided to try their onion rings. Funny, I dislike onions when they’re raw, but dip them in batter and deep fry the suckers, and it’s a whole different experience. As expected, I couldn’t come close to eating everything since I had the ice cream sundae and chocolate cake. Luckily, they have take home boxes like most restaurants do, and I had the leftovers for dinner.

Dec. 31 – Hmmm. What to do on the last day of the year? How about a movie? Sounded good to me, and it gave me a chance to redeem my free large soda birthday coupon from AMC Theatres. I decided to see “We Bought A Zoo” and used my Silver Experience ticket that I received as a Christmas gift to pay for my admission. Then I redeemed my coupon for a large Coke at the snack counter. Can you believe they charge a whopping $5.50 for the large drink? I would never pay for one, but to their credit, the sign did say free refills on the large size. Whoop-dee-do. The movie was very good. Matt Damon’s character, Benjamin Mee, is a real person. And the zoo he bought and repaired back to code, is a real functioning zoo. There were also some very funny parts. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars.

Afterwards, I drove to BJ’s Restaurant in Burbank. The offer was for a free Pizookie, valued at $5.95. A Pizookie is basically a large chocolate chip cookie about 6-inches in diameter with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. My server was a young kid by the name of Andy. I say kid, but he was probably in college. That goes to show how old I am. He was a very pleasant person. Good attitude and professional. Then Andy showed up with my Pizookie, and it looked like it was baked to order. The plate was warm and so was the cookie. Andy put a lit candle in the ice cream, and I blew it out. The ice cream scoop was a generous amount too. No skimping here. The whole thing was delicious, and I left Andy a nice tip.

Jan. 5 – With December behind us, you’d think that would be the end of my birthday month adventure. However, some of the offers came later than others and had expiration dates into January, 2012. First up, Coco’s restaurant for a free slice of pie. I picked the Chocolate Raspberry Harvest pie, $3.99 value. I’m a strawberry man, but the raspberry pie was pretty good. Very good since it was free.

Next up was the same Carrow’s restaurant I went to a week earlier. This was an anniversary offer for a free dessert; not a birthday freebie. It looked like only one guy in his early 20’s was there to wait on all the customers. After I was seated, it took him several minutes to find out what I wanted to order. When I told him I wanted the Bumpy Monkey Sundae, he said that would take a little while. I was in no rush. I must’ve waited close to ten minutes, then he popped around the corner, arm fully extended and slid the sundae onto the table. I didn’t even see his face. Only his arm. An indication he was really busy and stressed out. But a move like that scores very low with me. And there was another problem. The ice cream wasn’t vanilla. It was toffee, and I do not like toffee ice cream. Since this was a free anniversary gift, I didn’t want to make a stink about the flavor of the ice cream especially since he was by himself. In addition to the flavor of ice cream, the chocolate fudge was not presented in an appealing way. It was just glopped between the ice cream and banana. And there were only two banana halves this time, not four. I ate the whipped cream without any problem. Then, I tried eating some of the toffee ice cream. Maybe it would be an incredible quality of toffee, and I would actually like it. No such luck. After a few small bites, I couldn’t eat anymore. This was one of the worst experiences of the month. And it sucked that this location was the farthest one out from where I lived. This time, I didn’t leave a tip. Was this fair of me? I wanted to because I knew someone had to bus my table and clean my dirty dishes. But everything was bad. Bad presentation. Awful flavor of ice cream. Half of the bananas. Rush job on the fudge. If you believe it was wrong of me not to leave anything based on the circumstances, I welcome the comments and/or suggestions.

Following the Carrow’s fiasco, I redeemed my birthday free appetizer from T.G.I.F. restaurant. In the fine print, the coupon read max value $8. I decided on the pot stickers and handed my server my membership card. The pot stickers were excellent. I wish there were more than just 6 pieces, but I was satisfied. The dipping sauce was excellent as well. The pot stickers were $8.99, so I was charged $1.08 for the balance. I put my tip on the bill as well.

My final stop of the day and the main stop was Marie Callendar’s in Northridge. Here’s another lesson I had to learn the hard way. If any of you decide to try to get as many birthday freebies as me, call ahead first to make sure the location you’re thinking about will honor your certificate. Case in point: Marie Callendar’s. Turns out this company is comprised of both corporately owned locations and independent franchise locations. The Marie Callendar’s in Sherman Oaks on Ventura Blvd would not accept my coupon because they are independently owned. There’s no sign out front that tells you this. I called the Northridge location and spoke with the manager. She confirmed that they do accept the birthday coupons. Another chain that has both corporately owned locations as well as independent franchises is Johnny Rockets. Only the corporately owned restaurants will accept the birthday coupons. And I don’t know which ones are what. So do yourself a favor and call ahead. You may just save time, gas and frustration.

Anyway, I digress. The birthday offer wasn’t a freebie. It was only for $5 off any entrée and a free slice of pie. I ordered the original burger with fries valued at $10.99. I ordered the chocolate cream pie to go because I was full. The pie was valued at $4.49. My bill came to $6.51 with tax, and I put my tip with it.

Jan. 13 – A day after my last birthday run, I receive a belated birthday offer from Chevy’s Fresh Mex. They apologized that some of their members were initially skipped over when they revamped their system. I waited until I had a good reason to drive out to Burbank to redeem my final birthday freebie.

I joined the Panera Bread e-club months ago, and recalled getting an email for a free birthday pastry. So I decided it was time to redeem it. A nice girl, Genevieve, helped me. I chose the large cinnamon roll to go.

I decided not to eat the cinnamon roll just yet. I drove a couple of blocks to redeem my free birthday entrée from Chevy’s. The max value on the coupon was $12, but that wasn’t a problem because I wanted their Mesquite Steak Fajita Burrito valued at $11.98. I polished off my first basket of chips before my friendly server, Janice, took my order. She also brought me a second basket of chips and a fresh salsa bowl. By the time my food arrived, I was out of chips again, so she brought me a third basket. I immediately tore into my steak burrito, and it was good. Maybe a little more peppers than I would have liked, but it was good. I also enjoyed the Spanish rice and refried beans. But with all those chips sitting inside my belly, you’d better believe that I boxes up the leftover rice, beans and chips to take home. I left Janice a nice tip for doing an excellent job. The chips would become my dog’s afternoon snack, and the beans and rice would become his dinner. I was still fairly full by dinnertime, so I ate my cinnamon roll. It was tasty even if a little stiff from sitting exposed to the air.

To summarize my entire birthday adventures for 2011, I had a blast. Who would have guessed that I would get twice as many birthday freebies? There’s still room for improvement on my end. Good luck to you all in your birthday month.

Glenn

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