$5 Pizza and Beer: Punch Pizza Deal this weekend

Click here for coupon link

I know my posts have been more than infrequent this past month. It's been a busy busy time for me! Yay (for the busy time, that is)! Nonetheless, I'll do my best to continue to share what I find.

The deal du jour? Another Punch Pizza Deal! Who doesn't like those? Especially when it includes a tasty pint! The beer being highlighted is Flat Earth Brewing Company (I've never heard of it...have YOU?). Go get yourself a pizza and a Pale Ale!

Their flyer reads:

Get Angry and a Pizza for $5

at Stadium Village

$5 Beer & Pizza

Angry Planet Pale Ale and a Margherita or Napoli Pizza for $5

Valid August 6-8, 2010 while supplies last.

Just bring this coupon or show on phone.

One coupon per customer.

Stadium Village Location Only.

Punch Pizza - Free Mimi Night on Wednesday

Bring this coupon in or show on your phone to get it FREE!!!
Offer is good after 5pm. Get yourself a glass of wine to accompany the Mimi! yum!

Warning from Punch: "These are addictive!" lol.

Shoe Sale!!! 40% off at Piperlime

I Love the Shoes! I Buy the Shoes! I Wear the Shoes!
This IS my motto. I tell this to every guy (and the occasional gal) out there who questions my choice in heel size. Not that all my shoes have 4" heels (but some certainly do! hehe)...But mostly, they question it because I'm 5'-11" without any heels and...well...they're NOT. I'm not hating on them. They just don't understand that the same shoe isn't offered in a shorter heel! There's no 1" / 2" / 3" option for each pair of shoes. I wish there was!

This is my favorite kind of discount--SHOES!!! As I channel any and all of the self-restraint in my bones, I share this lovely sale with YOU! Piperlime is one of my favorite resources for shoes. They have (arguably) the BEST images/views of the shoes for an online source. 3D rotating views! If not that, they provide pics of each side of the shoe. Trust me, this is a great feature. 

Mainly, though, this is my favorite shoe website because of the prices and deals. Here's why:
~ FREE SHIPPING! Always, every day, standard.
~ POINTS! Banana Republic, Gap, & Old Navy store credit cards are valid (Piperlime is a sibling company of these stores) and count towards the point system with these credit accounts. I have a few credit cards and
even fewer that I actually use, but my Banana Republic card is one I do use (many of my work clothes come from Banana) because of their rewards plan. Paid off when bill comes, of course. ; )

Anyway! I'm getting off track...

>>>focus<<<

The 40% off Sale:
Unfortunately I can't grab a fancy graphic of the email alert I got. It's nothing special, but I'm a visual person so I like to add a little something. Anyway, sale email reads: "Up to 40% OFF. Lime tag sale It's the sale everyone's talking about. Don't miss out!" There is no super secret code or anything. Here <---is what opens when I click the sale link. Oh, and there's no specification as to how long the sale lasts.
Happy Shopping!!!

World Cup Mania at Punch Pizza

For those of you with the World Cup on your radar, keep your eye on Italia! Punch Pizza wants to give us an incentive to cheer for the motherland of Neapolitan Pizza...

$3 OFF YOUR PIZZA for every win Italy racks up in the first 3 games.

$4 OFF YOUR PIZZA for every win as we advance to the finals.

FREE PIZZA* & PERONI BEER for winning it all!
______________________________________
Offer(s) are good on game days only
Bring this coupon in or show it on your phone to get the deal.

Free App at Punch Pizza!

This is MY kind of APP! Punch Pizza has updated their original Highland Park menu, specifically their appetizers! That's great for us Punch Pizza lovers because they're offering a FREE APPETIZER with purchase of a pizza! Go and try their new Mozzarella de Bufala, served on a bed of arugula. Or warm your belly with Roasted Baby Peppers, served hot with balsamic vinegar drizzled over it. Yummmm. Both are served with their warm focaccia, if you were wondering. To check out all their apps, click here. I assume you can try any of their apps, not just their new ones, but I'm not clear if that includes their salad selections or just their antipastis.

Remember, this is only at their original location in Highland Park. If you haven't been to this location before, it remains unique as the only location that is full service (aka you are seated and order your meal from a server). Same great flavors, with more! Be prepared for a short wait, especially on weekends. Take this time to relax outside in their nice seating/waiting spot with a little fire pit. I like to get myself a glass of vino for the wait. ;)
704 Cleveland Ave S
Saint Paul, 55116

Print and bring the coupon (left) in with you, or show it on your phone.

Cooks of Crocus Hill Garage Sale

Calling all cooks! This weekend go shoulder to shoulder with other garage sale warriors this weekend and find some greatly reduced priced treasures at Cooks of Crocus Hill. You may not find 5 cent sticker prices here, but you may find great deals on the lemon zester you've been eyeing or a nice quality saute pan that won't cost the usual arm-and-leg.

The articles I've come across suggest this is a highly anticipated annual event so, like most garage sales, get there early for the best pickings. I'll have a hard time keeping myself away from this sale so...see you there (and keep your elbows to yourself)!

Cooks of Crocus Hill's 5th Annual Inventory Clearance
"Up to 80% off kitchen goodies and doo-dads"

St. Paul Location, in tent behind store
877 Grand Avenue, St. Paul 55105

Friday, June 11th | 9am-4pm
Saturday, June 12th | 9am-4pm
Sunday, June 13th | Noon-4pm

Free Concerts and Festivals of Summer 2010

Good GOD does Minnesota have a ton of festivals and fairs!!!  Granted, we're limited to a few months a year when it even makes sense to have an outdoor event (few exceptions are out there, I know, but those don't count here). But I didn't realize just how many are out there. When I started this list I was NOT prepared for how long this blog would take me, so Bookmark this baby, share it with your friends, and reference this list ALL SUMMER LONG because I want this list to be really really helpful for you all out there, and thus worth my time! ;)

All of the events I've listed below are FREE! With the exception of the State Fair, all of the fairs and festivals are FREE ADMISSION! Many of them have free music and entertainment, too. Take your pick of art fairs, music festivals, parades, fireworks, specialty food and drink (although that part is not usually free), bicycle tours...it's endless! Some are kid friendly, some are not-so-much. I recommend following the links I've provided to gauge which events are up your alley. And as always, post additional festivals and fairs with free admission I may have missed! I focused more on what takes place in the Twin Cities so you won't see New Ulm's Beer festival or anything. Apologies, but I had to draw the line somewhere!

June
June 4-6 - Edina Art Fair, 50th and France Ave in Edina. Shop booths of 350 artists from all over the U.S. Entertainment stage includes music, cooking seminars, fashion shows of local boutiques.
June 6 - Grand Old Day, Grand Avenue of St. Paul. Parades, Music, Art booths, Food and merchandise vendors galore! Bring your ID and $10 for a wristband if you want to join the party at any of the Festival Gardens. Music can be heard (and personal space stays free of spilled beer!) if you choose to stay outside of the gardens but you might sacrifice a view of the stage.
June 11-13, and 16-20 - Nature Valley Bicycle Festival and Grand Prix, Various Twin City locations. Bikes galore! Cheer on World-Class cyclists as they speed through courses in the Twin Cities, watch Stunt Shows at the Uptown Throwdown, and visit the expos.
June 12 - Famous Dave's Blues Fest, Peavey Plaza in Minneapolis. Concert include living legends Hubert Sumlin and Pinetop Perkins. 10 acts on two stages.
June 17-19 - Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Mears Park in St. Paul. Headliners: John Scofield and Joe Lovano, who could each play the Dakota for $40-50 a head.
Jule 19-20 - Stone Arch Festival of the Arts, St. Anthony Main in Minneapolis. 250+ Artist booths, 4 Stages of Live music, food vedors.

July
July 3 & 4 - Minneapolis Red White and Boom!, St. Anthony Main in Minneapolis. 5k and half marathon, Music and a Movie, Live entertainment, Family activities, and--of course--Fireworks!
July 10 - Lakefront Blues Fest, Prior Lake's Lakefront Park. A rare chance to catch Johnny Lang for free!
July 10 - New Belgium Tour de Fat, Loring Park in Minneapolis. Trade your car for a bike, don an absurd costume, and join the bicycle parade! There are also performances and, of course, beer! The beer isn't free, but the money raised goes to a  "worthy cause." [I recently visited the NB Brewery in Fort Collins, CO and the staff there is a RIOT! We chatted with one of the fellows who leads the Tour-de-Fat and I plan to seek him out for the sheer entertainment I know he'll provide!]
July 16-24 - Minneapolis Aquatennial, Downtown Minneapolis. Block Party, Tennis Classic, Milk carton boat races, Fireworks.
July 18 - Bastille Day Block Party, Cafe Barbette in Uptown Mpls. Music by Mayda, Red Pens, The Magnolias, Eyedea & Abilities, and more. Proceeds benefit People Serving People.

August
August 7 - Pizza Luce's Lyndale Ave Block Party, Lyndale and 31st in Minneapolis. Acts TBD.
August 7 - Freedom Jazz Festival, Minnehaha Falls Park in Minneapolis. Just what the title says! Artists TBD.
August 6-8 - Uptown Art Fair*,  Hennepin and Lake in Uptown Minneapolis. One of the top 10 fine arts festivals in the country! Over 350 artists are selected to exhibit and sell work. Food vendors and people watching add to the fun.
August 7-8 - Loring Park Art Festival*, Loring Park in Minneapolis. Over 140 national and local artists. Food and People watching too.
August 7-8 - Powderhorn Art Fair*, Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. Over 180 National and local Artists display and sell their work, plus food and people watching.
*Shuttle service between art fairs is provided FREE of charge, too!
August 13-15 - Irish Fair of MN, Harriet Island in St. Paul. Three stages of Live Music, Irish dancing, Irish food (think bangers and mash) and Irish Drink (think beer and whiskey), etc. Bring your Kilt for the "Best Legs in a Kilt" contest. If that's not enough, there's a Tug of War Pub challenge, Baking contest, and Matchmaking! Headliners TBD.
August 21 - Red Stag Supperclub Block Party, Red Stag in NE Mpls. Headliners: Cory Chisel and Heiruspecs and others. Street entertainment by North Star Roller Girls, Familia Skate Shop, and Spot Hula Hoop Contest.
August 26-Sept 6 - State Fair free stages. While entrance to the fair is not free, you can catch these great acts for no extra cost. Just think, people watching can only get better with great music to inspire new dance moves! Headliners include Rosanne Cash, zydeco vet Geno Delafose, Boys II Men, Trampled by Turtles and Martin Zellar. Also, go on a discount day to save a few more bucks: Thrifty Thursday (August 26) is $9 Adults and $6 Kids; Ticket Deal Tuesday (August 31) is $9 Adult and $8 Kids; Read & Ride Wednesday (Sept 1) is $9 Adult and $6 kids with valid public library card. Or pre-purchase adult tickets for $9 each and go any day.


Many of the Concert listings I got from an article from the StarTribune. To view the full article "Summer concerts: think big" on Star Tribune's website here.

Discount tix to Cirque du Soleil?? Yes please!

A friend of mine introduced me to a new daily deals website called Goldstar that everyone should really check out. This is not another "buy it today only" type sites, and it's not offering the same type of deals! How about half-price tickets to the upcoming Cirque du Soleil at the Target Center?!! Guthrie tickets?? Tickets to "How to talk Minnesotan" or a comedy show at Joke Joint? There are a lot of great options. They are also trying to create a forum for people to write reviews of these activities as well (I haven't spent much time trying to figure that part out, honestly).

You can sign up for daily email alerts, weekly email highlighting things, or both. As someone who gets about 8 "daily deal" emails a day these days, I opted for a weekly alert because then I'm more likely to read it when it gets to my inbox.

If you're a jet-setter or live outside of Minneapolis, they are also in Boston, Chicago, DC, Las Vegas, LA, New York, Orange County, Portland, San Diego, San Fran, San Jose, and Seattle.

Check it out and sign up! I'm really excited about the Cirque tickets, if you can't tell. I still have yet to see any of the shows that pass through town. And no, I haven't seen the full fledged thing in Vegas, either. I'm totally deprived. haha!
Here's the link to Goldstar: https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F1347995RB

Aveda - Free Sample of Caribbean Therapy Body Creme

I really like Aveda products. That's no secret (just smell my hair). But I really LOVE Aveda products when they're FREE! I mean, who doesn't! Word on the email street has lead me to a coupon for a FREE SAMPLE of their Caribbean Therapy Body Creme.

This coupon expires June 30, 2010.

Credit for this freebie goes to the blog/blogger Freebie Fanatics. To get your own heads up for freebies sign up for emails from this blog.

Punch Pizza - Free Bufala Mozzarella Upgrade

Punch Pizza has a new special running this week!! This week [May 24th - May 30th] Punch is offering their premium Mozzarella on any pizza for free. If you've never had this melted awesome-ness I highly recommend taking this opportunity to do so. The only unfortunate thing is you will want to have the premium mozz on every pizza from here on out!

BOGO tickets to Guthrie's M. Butterfly

This offer is courtesy of the Star Tribune and their "Star Tribune Offers" email newsletter I subscribe to. It reads:

Buy one ticket get one free to select performances of
Guthrie's M. Butterfly

Sunday, May 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Look for the Dot Deals coupon ad in the paper on 5/13, 5/15 and 5/16.

I'm not too knowledgeable about all things theatre related. In fact, I didn't realize Sweeny Todd was a theater production until after I'd seen it in theaters with Johnny Depp as lead. Needless to say, I'm not too sure about what this play is about, but I know it's being performed on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Wikipedia's Description tells me it's a Broadway play inspired by an opera. DuHHH! No, not really duh. The brief review of Wiki's description tells us it has a Chinese/French international influence and includes spy action. Oh, and an ad I saw around town here for the Guthrie's version has a disclaimer about some nudity. I have to say, this piques my interest as a production that would expand my Guthrie theater experience beyond The Great Gatsby and that one my Mom took me to...

As the email newsletter tells us, look for this coupon in the paper tomorrow (5/13), Saturday (5/15), and Sunday (5/16). I'll be outta town...who can save it for me?!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Update to post:
Reader contribution and GREAT thing to know (Thank you, Laura!):
Laura said... An even better deal is doing the rush tickets. It's $25 a ticket (on weekends) and you usually get pretty decent seats that typically cost more than double. If you do this get there early and get in the rush line. Also, I'd check the website day before or the morning of and see how full the theater looks. If it's not too full, you'll be good to go. Oh and they only take cash or check, but there is an ATM outside of Sea Change.

20% off at Piperlime - Today only

Use the discount code NIGHTS at checkout. Happy discount shopping!

Shoe Sale Alert at Piperlime!! Sandals on Sale--Today only!

Shoe fetish? Check. Summer coming up? Check. Disappointed with the selection of sandals you're left with from last year? Check. Pedicured feet just waiting for the perfect Cinderella slipper? Ummm...I may need to work on the last one...! Well, I definitely have the shoe fetish piece down... :)


Through their email promotions, I received this alert from Piperlime this morning! If you've been waiting for your change to attack a shoe sale to get yourself new summer flats, here's a great opportunity! 20%! And as always, Piperlime has FREE SHIPPING and FREE RETURN! No special code needed for that.

Free Origins Facial Cleanser - 04/22/2010 only

Become a fan of Origins on Facebook and you are eligible for a FREE FULL SIZE bottle from the Origins counter!
Here is what their posting reads:

We'll trade you for FREE. One day only - 4/22. Bring your current skincare to any Origins counter and we'll trade it for a full-size of one of our gentle, high-performance cleansers. Choose either: Checks and Balances Frothy face wash or A Perfect World Antioxidant cleanser with White Tea. Value up to $20!

Thanks to the blog Common Sense with Money for the heads up! The name is linked to the article on Origins. I've also added a link to the blog on the right-hand column for easy reference.

BOGO offer at Jamba Juice

This coupon is good through Friday!  

Sluuuuuurp!

Clinique!! Private Sales, Luxury Brands & Low Prices

Gilt Groupe is an exclusive online shopping website that offers sales on luxury brands. For example, in addition to Clinique, today's brands include Helmut Land, Free People, Magaschoni and Chan Luu, Lacoste, American Retro...And these brands-and their sales-change daily. In addition to clothing and beauty products, these sites are now offering home goods, men's products, and even exotic travel!

An important thing to keep in mind is that, in my experience with these types of exclusive boutiques, the inventory is limited and purchasing that pair of designer jeans (umm, I look forward to the Rock and Republic sales!) or the can't-live-without bracelet should be done asap when these sales become available.

Here's how it works: To have access to these discounted-priced luxury items you must become a member. Before you roll your eyes and scroll down to the next blog post, know that registering is FREE. There are no membership dues or registration fees. The only cost to you is just the merchandise. I think by making it a "members only" type private sale, more luxury brands are willing to offer their products for the limited sale. Because many of these items are very difficult to find at reduced prices--like the Clinique sale!

To sign up right now click here for an invitation from me. Then you will have access to all the sales I mentioned above, as well as all their future sales! You'll get an email each morning highlighting the sales that will open within a few hours (I think this website opens their "doors" at 10am).

I have yet to purchase from this specific boutique, as I JUST became aware of it a few weeks ago, thanks to my friend Kelly for the invite, but I am very familiar with this type of concept. And from the sales that have flashed across my eyes in the email inbox from Gilt Groupe, I am pleased with their selection of brands! I also belong to Rue La La and HauteLook. If you'd like an invite to those as well, click their respective names because I've attached a link to my invitation page as well. Through these two boutiques I have purchased things like Rock and Republic Jeans (at half the price of retail) & a Nicole Miller Dress (at 1/3 the price of it's retail).

Anyway, Clinique! Their sale prices range from $10 to $35. Sets of lipstick, facial cleansing sets, men's grooming, anti-aging, etc. See the image above for some of the products, the image is partial screen shot of the sale. If I hadn't just bought their Moisturizing Lotion during Macy's Clinique Bonus as few weeks ago I'd be all over that already! I think some of these low-priced products are their smaller sample sizes so be aware of that. But $10 bucks for a starter set of their signature facial cleansing products just isn't too bad if you've been wanted to try it, or just have it in a travel size!

Feel free to forward to all your shopaholic friends! They'll certainly appreciate your help to find that Ghurka Purse for $600 less!

20% Aveda Product Sale at Juut!!!!

Need to stock up? Rarely do I EVER come across my favorite products on sale, 

but at Juut on Thursday and Friday this week is our chance!!!! Happy Shopping!

Calling all Winos!

It's come to my attention that Haskell's is having their Nickel Sale right now through May 1st!!! 

This is a serious sale, too. I've perused their sale catalog...were talking about hundreds of bottles under $10--like...Hess Chardonnay for $8.95? Yes, please! And then there are pages and pages of French wines (my favorite) marked down including the creme de la creme Chateauneuf-de-Pape selections under $50. My budget won't allow me such a luxury but some of you out there may have been saving up for such an investment? Sighhhh. Anyway, there are plenty of other Cote du Rhones that are more budget friendly.

If you're savvy you may have discovered the wine selections that comes in a box? I'm not referring to Frahn-ziah (it at least sounds better if you say it with a drawn out snobby accent, no?) but others like their advertised Black Box selections which are marked down to a going rate of $17.95 a box. They usually run around $25 a box, depending on the store of course. Folks, these boxes hold the equivalent of 4 bottles of wine. Have you done the math yet? That is less than $5 a bottle for wine whose quality that rivals the $10 bottles out there. So if you haven't tried any of these godsend in a box yet, this is a good time to give it a shot!

My only question is...by calling it a Nickel sale does that mean I get the second bottle for 5 cents? Such a question wasn't answered by reading the pages of their pdf sale catalog so I will just have to find out when I get there. I'll keep you posted on that.

Boy I wish I was getting a commission on this one....Bottoms up!
Cheers!

Haskell Locations:
Bloomington, Faribault, Excelsior, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, St. Paul, Stillwater, White Bear Lake, Woodbury

Sip n' Sample tickets to Zahtar - 1/2 price!

Joining the ranks of Living Social and Groupon is another company offering daily email deals called Crowd Cut. I came across it via Facebook. They seem to still be in their startup phase where deals aren't changing daily, but--according to their website--they will be there by May 3rd, 2010.

Their current offer is $15 for a $30 ticket to the next Sip n' Sample at Zahtar on April 14th (next week).
Check it out and/or Sign up for their emails here.

I've been keeping an eye on this company for a little while now. I'm encouraged by the selection of deals they've offered so far, so I've signed up for their email offers and am sharing it with you.

Half Off Deals - Restaurants, Automotive, Clothing, Wellness...

Here's a post to all of you out there who LOVE those half off certificate deals. Ever heard of the website Half OFF Deals?  It is the gateway to half price certificates all over the place! ALL OFFERS on this website are available for 1/2 the cost of its face value.

Half Off Deals caters to many different metropolitan areas, including Minneapolis, like Chicago, Wichita, Honolulu, Las Vegas, etc. So those of you outside the Twin Cities area, and those traveling warriors out there, you can find deals in your area too!

If you want to get these offers in your email box each week, you can sign up for their "Certificate Tooter" email here. The email will appear each Tuesday--so just once a week--with a list of the half off offers generated by the zip code you provide when you sign up for the newsletter.

Posted below are the current offers within a 60 mile radius of the Minneapolis zip code 55401.
Note that these offers are current as I'm posting this article, April 6 2010. There are expiration dates on these certificates and most have a limited amount available. So if you're viewing this post months later many of the links may not be available--but there will be new ones, so check out the website for an up-to-date list.
(Clicking the links will take you to each individual offer at the website)

BANK Restaurant At The Westin  Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1 miles
The Mens Department  Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1 miles
Planet Beach Contempo Spa  Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1 miles
501 Fit  Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1 miles
Spill The Wine Restaurant  Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1 miles

Free Drinks at Punch Pizza this week

This week, April 5-9, Punch Pizza is offering free drinks with purchase of a pizza!

Promo reads:
While our managers are away in Italy this week enjoying the pizza in Naples, we thought we would give out free beer, wine and soda (until we get busted). Bring the attached coupon this week (Mon-Fri) for a free drink with the purchase of a pizza.

Movie Theater Discounts

I realize this may not be the best timing to point out offers for movie theaters since we've been having such gorgeous weather around here, but I predict we have a few rainy days in our future and this may come in handy! And as it gets hotter out there, this may become my favorite escape from the hot, humid house. :)

Discounted Tickets
My favorite is this first one, since this is the easiest of them all--no coupons or membership requirements! 
AMC Weekday Escape offer  - $5 movie tickets Monday through Thursday! AMC offers ALL MOVIES, ALL DAY LONG at 1/2 price Monday through Thursday. That means movie tickets are $5 each in the Twin City area during the week, not just matinee times!
Riverview Theater - Always cheap! $2 Tuesdays for all shows, $2 for kids 11 and under, $2 for seniors 62+, $2 matinee prices, and $3 for Adult evening. PLUS they've updated this classic theater with high-backed rocker seats and state of the art picture & sound.
$2 Tuesday Deals at Marcus Theatres (9 in Minnesota) offering popcorn and fountain drinks at $2 a piece.

Memberships/Clubs
AMC MovieWatcher Rewards - From what I can tell from the description online, this is a free membership designed to reward frequent movie-goers. Earn points with each purchase and redeem points to get rewards like free popcorn, fountain drink, etc. I don't go to the movies enough to want to carry this membership, but if I did, I could see the benefit.
Five Buck Club at Kerasotes Theatres (in the Twin Cities: Block E Downtown Mpls, Coon Rapids, Inver Grove Heights, and St. Louis Park at West End). Basically, after a movie has been in the theaters for a short time (website says usually 2 weeks), members of this club get tickets at a discounted price of $5 each. Their fine print limits you from the deal on IMAX and 3D features, but I'm not seeing any limits to time of day or day of the week.
Marcus Theatres Spotlight Movie Club Similar to the Clubs mentioned above. Highlights include access to $5 feature admission to select movies on Wednesday and Thursdays, and special concession offers.

Going to the movies is starting to sound affordable again!

Coupon Links
Coupon for a free small popcorn with purchase of any sized fountain drink. Valid April 4, 2010 - April 11, 2010. Based on the link I followed to this coupon, I think this is a coupon offered to members of the AMC MovieWatcher Rewards program. Thus, this would be an example of the benefits of being a member.

If you have a favorite local theater, check out their website. It's highly likely they will have their own version of a membership club that offers discounts and special promotions.

A little secret to getting into an event FREE...Volunteer!

New Year's Eve tickets would have been $120 bucks. Tickets to one day at the Basilica Block Party cost $40, Attending the Walker After-Hours party will put you back $35 for non-members, Taste of MN gate prices were $10 (which included $10 worth of food and drink coupons). All of these activities add up, usually. Here's a concept for you--sign up to volunteer at the function and you're in for FREE (including the food and drink coupons at the Taste) because I put in a little time and effort volunteering!

I know what you're thinking..."Sure, Maureen, you got in free--but you didn't get to enjoy the event because you were working." Not true!!! You don't slave away at these events! Most of the volunteer coordinators understand that you are trading a little of your time for a free ticket and they respect that by scheduling blocks of time for different shifts, allowing you to enjoy yourself as a regular ol' patron before or after the shift. And you typically have flexibility in which task you do as you are working.

An additional perk to the free ticket is the company you keep and people you meet as a volunteer. Most people volunteering are like-minded folks who want their free pass, too. Sign up with a few friends and it's easy to forget that you're on the other side of the ticket counter because you're hanging out with each other the whole time. Just sayin'... :)

Or check this out: Ask your local gym about a free membership in exchange for a few hours of your service on a weekly basis. I know a few folks who clean the yoga mats and in return get an all access pass to as many yoga/pilates classes their bodies can take. Nice, eh?

Just think of all the fairs and events and fundraisers out there...New Year's Eve parties, Art Exhibit openings, Taste of Minnesota, Minnesota State Fair, Film Festivals, the MN Fringe Festival, Extravagant fund-raising events, Fashion Shows, Basilica Block Party, Gym memberships, Golfing fundraising events, Como Zoo, Community Classes, Conferences...I think the list is endless. Imagine, you can fill your schedule with all these activities and they won't cost you an arm and a leg. Think about it...

How to find these opportunities

• Ask! Find an email or phone number on the promotional information and contact the event coordinator or promoter. Go to the facility and ask an employee who to talk to about possible volunteering opportunities.
• Look on Craigslist.
• Talk to friends about volunteering. You may be surprised to find out how many of them have volunteered. Find out what they know and how they got into contact with the right person.
• Online--Many websites now have links for volunteers, especially if they're an establishment that has many events or fund-raisers. 

So, what are you going to sign-up for this year?

Punch Pizza Deals this week!!!

On occasion--or no real occasion at all--Punch Pizza will send out special offers to their customers via email, facebook, word of mouth, etc. It's a fun marketing tool because the deals end up being someone interactive for varying reasons. Sometimes the offers are specific to a group--One offer was specific to students and teachers of the Univ of MN, in which case I used my...ahem...expired...student ID. Other times it's for a specific reason--like the weather has been awful or great. This current promotion is geared towards gaining a following on Facebook, so they're asking people to "friend" their favorite location to use the coupon.

And they aren't measly discounts, either! It's a free pizza (or discounted by $6 bucks if you get a secialty 'za)! I love their pizza so much as it is because it's so flavorful and colorful and aromatic and oh yum!, but their marketing campaign creates a certain sort of affection within me for the pizza chain. It not only gets patrons in the door but it's establishing a personality and identity for the brand as well. They are so playful in their marketing strategies that I'm already having fun and feeling excited before I walk in the door. Can't say that about the coupons I collect for toilet paper. Ummm, nope...not at all.

The deal this week is specific by location. Each location has one specific day the coupon is good on. I'm posting them all here and setting up each image to link you to their respective website so you can "friend" them if you like, as they requested in their campaign. I don't want to blatantly smear their coupons without respecting their marketing program (or get in trouble with my favorite pizza joint!!).

You can also sign yourself up for their email list, in which you will get your own notification for their future promotions! Click here for that.

So, here you are:

Arden B. Sale - $5 tops this weekend!!!!

Apparently the retail stores are really trying to get us shopping this weekend (see previous post about Banana Republic sale)!! Get $5 Tops In Stores Only This Weekend! But You Better Hurry...This Deal Ends Tomorrow! So Get to A Store Today...

See you there--No, SERIOUSLY!

25% OFF at Banana Republic this weekend!!!

Eyeing the spring fashion from the window? Wanting to don the latest style but not willing to pay the full retail price for it? Here you go!

Two little days, One Big Deal

25% off ALL Regularly Priced Styles this weekend, 3/27-3/28.
Good for Online Purchases only. Use code WEEKEND25 at checkout.
Direct link here.
Fine print mumbo jumbo reads like this: [Offer valid on regular-priced Banana Republic merchandise purchased online only between March 27, 2010 at 12:00 AM ET and March 28, 2010 at 11:59 PM ET in the U.S.(including Puerto Rico). Offer not valid at Banana Republic Stores, Banana Republic Factory Stores or Edition by Banana Republic. Qualifying amount applies to merchandise only not to Giftcards purchased, packaging, applicable taxes or shipping and handling charges. No adjustments on previous purchases. Not valid for cash or cash equivalent. Offer cannot be combined with Gap Inc. employee discount or any other offers or discounts. Not responsible for lost or stolen coupons.]

2-For-1 gallery admission to 1964 at the Walker!!!

I received this in an email from the Star Tribune's weekly Offers newsletter:

1964 was the year of Pop Art - and so much more. With nearly 100 works, including work by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Donald Judd, and Yoko Ono, 1964 focuses on art made during a period of tremendous transformation in the U.S.

Look for the Dot Deals coupon ad in the paper on 3/25, 3/27 and 3/28.

New Target Mobile Coupons

There are a lot of Target deals available this week. So make sure to stop by later for them. Not signed up for Target Mobile coupons yet? Just register your cellphone number to get text alerts from Target. Every sunday you will get monthly offers via text message with a link to a barcode that can be scanned at checkout. The same barcode can be used for multiple one-time-only coupon deals throughout the month. Please note that standard text messaging rates apply. In other words you will get charged for these texts if you don’t have unlimited texting plan.

New Target Mobile Coupons

[I got this from an email from Common Sense with Money (Thanks to Laura for introducing it to me).This could be very useful for those who forget to print out coupons, or refuse to carry them around with you! Click the link above to read more and to sign up to receive the coupons. :) ]

Freebies for your Birthday!!!

No one wants to pay for themselves on their birthday! It's our god-given right to expect everything to be given to us, without monetary cost or question or delay! It's the one day you get to look around the room and demand they treat you like the queen/king and they might actually oblige, isn't it? Well, at least that's the way we WISH it would work--at least I do. ;) Instead I end up baking myself a cake, blowing out the self-lit candle while hoping it's not a trick candle, and sometimes I make my friends take me out for a meal.  I always hate the inevitable frustration of everyone chipping in a few bucks for the birthday person's mean because it NEVER works out easily or fairly and it usually takes as long to figure out as the meal itself! Well, if you've had those frustrations, too, the read on...

There are about a million places that offer a free dessert with entrée purchase on your birthday. I’m not adding ALL of those to this blog. I’d rather limit it to the more substantial offers, like FREE MEALS or BOGO (Buy One, Get One) offers. Let’s face it, you could probably talk any server at your restaurant of choice into bringing you a scoop of ice cream (albeit the “scoop” at Boca Chica came with fresh pureed strawberries on a warm, flaky sugar-coated fried tortilla—YUM!). But can you talk them into comping your entire meal? Not likely, unless it’s an established birthday special. And this way your friends can breathe easy that there will be no fiasco at the end of the meal--except for their own damage, of course. 

Many of the restaurants require you to sign up for their birthday mailing list or for their email newsletters. One could look at it as a hassle, but it’s getting you a free meal! I would guess if you don’t find your favorite restaurant on this list it’s likely if you go to their website you may find a newsletter/birthday club offered by them as well. I think the biggest problem you’ll have is figuring out which restaurants to limit yourself to, and then making it to the gym enough times afterward!!

**Please let me know if you are aware of any others I've missed. I will add them to this list. I have almost a FULL YEAR to develop this list before my birthday comes by again and I can be the Queen :) **

BillShrink Website: Tool to evaluate Bills

I stumbled across the website BillShrink when reading an article on the StarTribune by columnist John Ewoldt called "Six simple ways to save." Using this website is one of the six suggestions he makes.

It's a simple website that identifies ways you may be able to reduce expenses in your cell phone plan, credit card usage, gas stations, and savings account allocations. Your recommendations are personalized, based on the information you enter about your usages and locations. It's very simple to use and seems to be a great resource to get ideas about the best way to cut costs without having to gather all the information on your own (which could take hours of web searching and phone calls). Check it out!

www.billshrink.com

1/2 Price Bottle Wine Nights around the Twin Cities

Ohhhh, Wine, How I love thee! The time spent sharing you with friends, the way you can enhance the flavor of food and it can conversely enhance your tastes, and the cultural windows you open my eyes to when I know I'm drinking grapes from a faraway estate--It's the closest I get to traveling there lately!

I have worked very hard to collect this list! Many resources out there are so outdated that half the restaurants have either closed their doors or changed their specials. I want this to be an accurate resource for myself, and you. I'm sure I have missed a few out there--it's bound to happen. There are also some listed that I couldn't confirm or deny by their websites or any other search, without getting on the phone and checking with them directly, which you'll find under "Unconfirmed".

Don't forget that you can have your server "cork" your bottle if you aren't able to finish the bottle. In fact, I've utilized that option on Sundays when I've wanted to picnic in the park and wine shops are closed! Hopefully this list will enable you to have a great evening over wine! Cheers!

DAILY:

Acqua Restaurant and Wine Bar • All bottles 1/2 off, 4-5pm daily • 4453 Lake Ave. S, White Bear Lake | 651-407-7317
Al Vento• at Happy Hour (4-6?) •5001 34th Ave. S., Mpls.|612-724-3009

Azia • at Happy Hour (4-7?) •2550 Nicollet Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55404|612-813-1200

D'Amico and Sons •Bottomless glasses of house wine are always available! Eleven metro locations

SUNDAY:

Amore Victoria • Sunday-Tuesday •1601 West Lake Street, Minneapolis 55408|612-823-0250

Café Ena• Sunday-Thursday All Day! •4601 Grand Avenue South Minneapolis MN 55419|612-824-4441

El Mesón• 1/2 price Sunday-Thursday ALL DAY! •3450 Lyndale Ave. S. Mpls|612-822-8062

French Meadow Cafe • Sunday-Wednesday Evenings•2610 Lyndale Avenue South, Mpls 55408|612.870.7855

Pizza Luce-St. Paul• Sun 5pm-Close•1183 Selby Avenue

Rinata• Every Sunday and Monday•2451 Hennepin Ave South, Mpls 55405

The Sample Room• 1/2 price every Sunday & Monday evenings •2124 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418|612-789-0333

Wilde Roast Cafe• Sundays & Mondays after 5pm with food purchase•518 Hennepin Ave. E, Mpls| 612-331-4544

2-for-1 Admission to discover B. Franklin

2-for-1 Admission "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World."

Meet the real Ben.

Founding father, scientist, civic leader, entrepreneur, rebellious teen. Learn about the many sides of Benjamin Franklin in this electrifying new exhibit. Now on view at the Minnesota History Center.

Look for the Dot Deals coupon ad in the Star Tribune paper on 3/11, 3/13 and 3/14.

This is a quick blog entry, as I don't know much about this exhibit, or Benjamin Franklin for that matter--aside from the flying-a-kite-with-a-key-to-discover-electricity basic knowledge. I found this in an email from the "Star Tribune Offers" email and it piques my interest. I heard some interesting things about it on the radio.

Cheap Date Night Deals

This list focuses on deals meant to be for two people. For the most part, I did not include the restaurants offering prix fixe menus. Although they are great date night deals, they are not all that cheap (Look for a future blog about these deals).

 "Dinner and a Show" type deals:

Fusion/Landmark Theater
Tuesday: Appetizer, salad, Bottle of wine, Dessert, and 2 Movie Tickets at Landmark Theater for $30.
2919 Hennepins Ave.
Uptown Minneapolis
612-824-6300
http://fusionmpls.com/

Bryant Lake Bowl
Mondays 6:00 pm to 12:30 am: Two entrees, a bottle of wine (or two tap beers) and a round of bowling - $28 per couple.
810 W Lake Street
Minneapolis
612-825-3737
http://www.bryantlakebowl.com/

Acme Comedy
For $30.00/person, Dinner and a show
you get: Complementary Bread basket, and choice of Soup or Salad, Choice of Entree up to $16.00 (want something more than $16, we just add the difference) served with roasted redskin potatoes and a vegetable medley. Includes Admission and Reserved Seating for Show.
http://www.acmecomedycompany.com/sticks/dinnerpkg.php

Axel’s Bonfire
Dinner and Movie for two for $55:
1 appetizer, 1 bottle of wine, 2 entrees, 1 dessert, and two general admission theater tickets. *I’m not clear which Bonfire this is available at, or which theaters the tickets are for. I suggest calling the restaurant for more details.
http://www.axelsbonfire.com/specials

Dinner specials for two:

Barbette
Tuesdays 5-10pm: Two entrees and a bottle of wine, and dessert for $32
1600 West Lake Street, Minneapolis 55408
612-827-5710
http://www.barbette.com/

$10 off next order at Shutterfly

I'm on the Shutterfly.com emailing list. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it is a website where you can order prints of your digital photographs. They do other printing stuff, too, but I personally just order prints.

They are celebrating their 10 year anniversary (REALLY?? How many of you had a digital camera 10 years ago???). Well, Congrats on being ahead of the times, too, I guess! lol.

Their generous offer:
$10 off your next order.**
[Their asteric message reads: **Offer valid for one-time redemption per member per household. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply.]
Use this Promo code at check out:
MARCH10
This offer is only good until March 11, 2010.
See their website for their free shipping offers, as well.

Coupon Clipping isn't just for the Sunday paper anymore!

I admit, there is something exciting about pouring over the Sunday paper looking at the glossy ads that shout "Buy This" and "Lowest price this week only" at me. Perusing all the colorful images of brand new clothes and giant flat screen TVs makes me want to check my budget and run out to find these things to see if they're as exciting in person. Then I'm forced to reel myself back in and close the pretty Macy's ad before I get to the shoes.

It's at that point I reach for the coupon inserts and my scissors. Yes, folks I do have some self control! If you look inside my purse you'll notice I carry coupons with me at all times. Paper clipped together you'll find coupons for groceries, makeup, cleaning products, buy 1 get 1 restaurant deals, dry cleaning...you get the picture. They come in handy, too. I feel bad for the checkout gal who has to flatten out the crumpled up coupon to be able to scan the thing, but hey--I get my $0.50 off nonetheless! This isn't a blog about being neat and orderly...

But the rest of the Newspaper tends to get picked at for its crossword puzzle and that's about it, so I don't have it delivered to my doorstep. Saving those few bucks, right? So where do I get my coupons for the aforementioned grocery and cleaning products? Online!

Amazingly, the same coupons inserted into the Sunday paper have begun to appear on certain websites where you can "clip" them (aka select them by checking the box next to the offer) and print them off right at home.

Here are some of the websites you can find such thrilling features (I'm being somewhat sarcastic here because it's not as thrilling as those pretty glossies):
www.couponcabin.com
couponcode.com
print.coupons.com
www.redplum.com
coolsavings.com
smartsource.com
And last but not least:
Target

I've found that most of these coupons are manufacturer's offers and are the same/very similar from website to website, except for the target link (their coupons are only for use at Target and vary from the manufacturer's offers). I've "clipped" a $0.75 off coupon for Gold'n Plump chicken from more than one of these sites. There is a little variety, just not enough for me to hit every website each week.

As a warning to you, Most of these websites make you download their "Coupon Printer" which is, as far as I can tell, a little program that generates the coupons into a printer friendly format. Eh. It's a bit of a hassle the first time because you have to download and install these little programs. And every website has their own program it appears. You may want to check out a few websites and choose one that suits you best to avoid downloading twenty-something different "Coupon Printer" programs.

Also to note: You are downloading a program from the web. Now, I haven't had any problems with viruses or the such, but I'm not an authority on infectious computer what-have-yous so it's at your own risk. I feel comfortable with what I've downloaded and used. If you're not comfortable, you may want to just continue to clip from your Sunday paper. :)

Deal of the Day: 50% Off Italian Fare at Al Vento - LivingSocial Deals

Deal of the Day: 50% Off Italian Fare at Al Vento - LivingSocial Deals

Daily Deals

It seems the latest money saving craze to pop up is the "Daily Deal" offers. And this is craze in all ways desirable These--we'll call them websites--These websites offer one deal each day, and for that day only. Don't think you can go back the next day to get this deal...Nooooo! (I learned that the hard way, thinking long and hard into the next day about getting myself a 1-year membership for two to the Walker. That was a huge bummer!) You have to jump on those offers!

Get together with your friends: The central idea around these offers is to support a social, interactive lifestyle. You can subsidize almost any activity with these offers: eat at restaurants, get massages, do pilates, visit art galleries or history museums, or even get your teeth cleaned! My favorites, of course, are the restaurants though!! If you know me, you know how much I love the dining experience! Past restaurant offers include Solera, Moto-i, Spill the Wine, French Meadow Bakery, and Rinata. Today's offers are so so tempting...Al Vento and WA Frost!

Value: The certificates are usually offered at around 50% of the face value. $50 certificate to a restaurant for $25, for example. But it varies for each offer. Typically you will have to use the entire certificate amount on one visit. So if your certificate is for $50 plan to order that amount of food and drinks. Tip is not part of these offers, so make sure your lovely wait staffer still gets their deserved tip--or those poor servers will start to groan and roll their eyes at us thrifty diners every time a certificate is presented.



Get Started: You can find these offers by going straight to their websites, having them emailed to you, or even scrolling Facebook (more on that in a later post). Two of my favorites are Living Social and Groupon.
Use these links here to sign up for the emails:
Living Social
Groupon

Get Credits: On top of just getting these vouchers at a reduced price, when you share these deals with friends and they, too, buy certificates you receive $credit towards your next purchase! So by clicking on the links I'm sharing above, you support my sleuthy-ness and generosity for sharing. Then you, too, can share your own link and receive your owncredits too!

Now, I'm going to go get myself a certificate to Al Vento...Dinner anyone??
Deal of the Day: 50% Off Italian Fare at Al Vento - LivingSocial Deals"

Welcome

Welcome to my blog, and my first post!

Why am I doing this?? I enjoy things like dining out and nice restaurants, a new pair of shoes, catching up with friends over happy hour, making my house a home. But I don't like paying full price for all of it, nor can I afford to! So, I seek out deals to support my habits. And I've acquired quite long list of these offers. It seems there are more of them out there everyday! Realizing that I could share these with my friends, I've decided to blog about it.

I will post website links, emailings to sign up for, and any other special offers that peak my interest. If you, as a reader, have anything to suggest please send me a note!

You may see things change as I become more savy with this blogging format--fonts, layouts, etc. I intend to keep them simple and rare--not like the all the changes we keep witnessing on facebook. Of course, this isn't a multi-million dollar cyber site with all sorts of apps and millions of users either. haha.

Enjoy! :)