Shop at Sam's Club — without the membership
For those of you who missed this deal before, you can stock up at Sam's Club without paying for a membership by printing out a one-day pass
here on Allstate's web site. (You don't have to be a customer.) Click on "Sam's Club Special Offer." After providing some information, you can print out a one-day pass with no surcharge. In other words, they don't tack on an extra 10 percent at checkout because you don't have a membership. Sam's Club offers these one-day passes occasionally. Good luck finding one from Costco.
Labels: free Sam's Club, free Sam's Club membership
Free sub sandwich promotion problems
Several of you have reported that your local Quiznos store wasn't too cheerful in accepting the free sub coupons offered on the corporate Quiznos web site earlier this week as part of the chain's "Million Sub Giveaway." Across the country, some franchise locations have even refused to accept the coupons. I don't think Quiznos realizes the damage they are doing to their brand by not having their act together on this promotion. If they are offering free sub sandwiches, individual locations should be cheerfully handing them out. If Denny's was able to pull off a nationwide free breakfast promotion with so few glitches a few weeks ago, Quiznos should be able to pull off this promotion without making so many people angry. What are they thinking?
Lowe's clinic for kids Saturday
Lowe's has a free
kid's clinic Saturday. Kids can build a wooden race car. One tip: Reserve a spot at your favorite location
here and bring a copy of that reservation with you to the clinic. Each store has a limited number of kits.
Dr. Seuss event with giveaways at Target stores
Target stores are having a Dr. Seuss celebration Sunday (March 1) at 1 p.m. Read more about it
here.
Paying cash for cars
Years ago, my husband and I made a decision to never finance a car again. It's a simple goal, really, that can pay big dividends over the course of your lifetime. But carrying out such a plan on a middle-class income has involved some sacrifice. For example, until recently, our newest vehicle was an aging 1995 Toyota sedan with nearly 200,000 miles that looks a bit out of place in our solidly middle-class neighborhood full of much newer SUVs. We still have that car, but we have since replaced a truly ancient 1986 Nissan Maxima with a much newer and modern 5-year-old vehicle. We accumulated the money for that vehicle over the last 10 years through an automatic savings plan that directs money each month from our paychecks to an account set aside just for automobile purchases. Over the years, we've been tempted to just throw our plan out the window, drive to the car lot and drive away with a shiny new vehicle financed on the spot. But we're sticking with our savings plan and buying only used cars we can truly afford. We know we're saving a lot of money in financing costs, and that's been great, but we've enjoyed an even greater benefit. There's a certain level of freedom and security in not having a car payment each month. Nobody can take our cars away if we lose our jobs. It's been so long now since we've had a car payment that I can't even remember much about what it's like to have one. But I do know one thing: I never want one again.
Beyonce says she's "frugal"
Lavish spending is out, apparently even for millionaire singer
Beyonce.
Buy one get one free — it's everywhere
There's nothing quite like a recession to prompt restaurants to roll out a bunch of buy one get one free offers.
Here are a few offers that I've seen in just the last couple of days. (Remember, it's always a good idea to check if a location is "participating" in a promotion before you go.)
Buy one get one free
Blizzards at Dairy Queen. (Sign up at the bottom of the page.)
Buy one entree get one free at
TGI Friday's. (Click on "Get your free entree now.")
Buy one fish taco, get one free at
Del Taco.
Buy an adult entree, get a kids meal free at
Fazoli's. (Click on "incredible offers.")
By a drink, get a free "Roast Burger" from
Arby's.
Ok, so there is no buy one get one free offer on
Entertainment books, but for only $16.25 (and free shipping) you get a book full of them.
Costa Vida learns a lesson
Fast-food chain Costa Vida learned an important
lesson recently about how much people love free food. (And how fast any news about free food moves on the Internet.)
A new resale shop
Uptown Cheapskate, a new resale clothing store, is celebrating its grand opening today at 6 p.m. near the Gateway Shopping Center at 200 South and 353 West. Uptown Cheapskate is part of the company that created the successful children-oriented resale chain Kid to Kid. Uptown Cheapskate buys and sells men and women's clothing, shoes and accessories. I think their timing couldn't be better, given the state of the economy. Buying secondhand — whether at garage sales or secondhand shops — can save a lot of money.
Free french fries!
Free french fries at UFood Grill! Print this coupon and others
here.
Things we pay too much for
The BillShrink.com web site has compiled a list of things we spend too much money on. My personal favorites:
Pseudo health products — Slap a "low fat" or "all natural" label on something and we gladly pay more, even though these products can be just as unhealthy as other foods without these labels.
Brand new technology - Waiting to buy that flat screen television or other technology product nearly always pays off in lower prices.
Bottled water - It costs much more than filtered tap water and may not be much better, yet we gladly pay more.
Individual cups of coffee - Whether purchased from a restaurant, gas station, or coffee shop, you'll pay way more than if you brewed your own at home.
Prepackaged food - The less food preparation work you do, the more you pay.
Late fees/overdraft fees - Paying late fees and overdraft fees add up quickly. So can ATM fees.
The higher your credit score, the better your mortgage rate
Take a look at this table from Myfico.com, a credit-scoring company. It shows just how much your credit score affects your mortgage rate and ultimately, what your housing payment will be each month. Lenders are increasingly rewarding those who have higher credit scores with lower mortgage rates. The monthly payments in this example are based on a 30-year loan of $300,000 at today's rates.
FICO® score .... APR* .... Monthly payment
760-850 .... 4.633% .... $1,544
700-759 .... 4.855% .... $1,584
680-699 .... 5.032% .... $1,616
660-679 .... 5.246% .... $1,656
640-659 .... 5.676% .... $1,737
620-639 .... 6.222% .... $1,842
*Annual Percentage Rate
Utah's gas prices second lowest in nation
The average cost of a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Utah has risen 8 cents over the past month to $1.72 per gallon. But the state still has the second-lowest average among all states, according to travel-services agency AAA. (Missouri is the lowest with an unleaded average of $1.68) The national average is $1.89. More state-specific information is available
here. Find the lowest prices at a station near you
here.
Free tank top at Aeropostale stores
Apparel chain Aeropostale, which has a dozen stores in Utah, is giving away tank tops in its stores on March 3. Read the
official rules regarding this freebie.
Big mortgages, big trouble
Home buyers taking out huge mortgages helped fuel the foreclosure crisis, according to a new
report. If you're in the market for a home, think hard about your future monthly payment and whether you will have enough money left over each month to cover all your other bills as well as save some money and have a little fun. Living in a trophy home will surely impress your friends and family, but being house poor is absolutely no fun at all.
Free event for children
Looking for a cheap or free way to entertain your children? The
Safe Kids Fair is a free, family-oriented event in Sandy. It runs this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28.
And even more free health screenings
They are available at the
Salt Lake City Diabetes Expo, this Saturday (Feb. 28)
More free health screenings
Diabetics in Utah are being urged to get screened for kidney disease. Here are a few places to get screened for free, courtesy of the National Kidney Foundation of Utah & Idaho. The screenings are available to those who are at least 18 years of age who have diabetes or high blood pressure or a parent or sibling with those issues or kidney disease.
* March 13, 9 a.m. to noon; Utah County Health Department, 151 South University Avenue, room 2500, Provo.
* March 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 South, West Valley City.
* March 20; 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 303 N. 100 East, Cedar City.
* March 21, 9 a.m. to noon; SunRiver Fitness Center, 4275 S. Country Club Drive, St. George.
Sign up and get $5 to spend at Kohl's
Sign up at the
Kohl's web site and get a coupon via e-mail that is good for $5 off a minimum purchase of $5. Click on "e-mail alerts."
Free sub sandwich
Go to the
Quiznos web site and you can sign up to get a coupon for one free small sub sandwich. The coupon arrives via e-mail.
****This offer is now expired (2-26) ****
Free Admission at Hogle Zoo this Wednesday
As part of its "Wild Wednesdays" promotion, Hogle Zoo offers free admission this Wednesday (Feb. 25.)
Sure, it's a cold time of year. But the savings for a large family can be substantial. Regular adult admission is $8. Seniors age 65 and older pay $6 and children 3 to 12 pay $6. Children 2 and under are always free.
Plus, this is the last chance for free admission through this promotion until November.
Labels: Free admission to Hogle Zoo, Hogle Zoo
Free movie rentals
Log on to
RedBox and click on "Get a free rental." Enter your e-mail address and the company will send you codes you can use to get free movie rentals from their machines. You can also sign up for cell-phone alerts if you prefer.
Labels: Free movie rental, Free Redbox, Free Redbox code, Redbox code
Free pancakes
For those who like free food: Don't forget that IHOP's Free Pancake Day is Tuesday, Feb. 24. Each customer gets a free short stack of (three) buttermilk pancakes. All they ask is that you consider making a donation to Children's Miracle Network. One tip: Before you go, check to make sure your location is participating in this promotion. Most are.
Where Kids Eat Free
The Coupon Divas web site has a
listing of restaurants that allow kids to eat for free, organized by day of the week.
Labels: Kids Eat Free
A week dedicated to saving money
Utah Saves, a nonprofit aimed at getting more people to save money and get out of debt, is celebrating Utah Saves week this Sunday, Feb. 22, through March 1. Read more about the organization and how you can benefit from their offerings
here.
TCBY Yogurt Deal
Half-price smoothies at "participating"
TCBY locations from 5-6 p.m. daily and 99-cent waffle cones on Wednesdays.
Free Pancake Day coming up
IHOP's Free Pancake Day is Tuesday, Feb. 24. Each customer gets a free short stack of (three) buttermilk pancakes. All they ask is that you consider making a donation to Children's Miracle Network. One tip: Before you go, check to make sure your location is participating in this promotion. Most are.
Labels: Free Pancake Day, Free pancakes
Free gift cards at Forever 21 Grand Opening
I've blogged before about how much I like store grand openings. There's always some free stuff. The grand opening of Forever 21 at South Towne Center mall in Sandy on Saturday, March 7 is no exception. The first 400 people in line by 9 a.m. will get a free gift card valued between $10 and $210. Details are
here.
Discounted ski offer
Powder Mountain ski resort said it will discount day passes by $16 on Feb. 26 for donations of new socks that will be distributed to homeless people and others in need.
More free tax help
KeyBank and the United Way of Salt Lake is offering free tax preparation assistance to low- to moderate-income people from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays until April 11 at its Taylorsville branch at 1939 W. 4700 South. Call 801-963-6546, ext. 211 for appointment.
Free health screening
Smith's Food & Drug is offering free "heart healthy" screenings, including cholesterol and blood pressure checks, diabetes screening and a body mass index measurement. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, go
here.
Grocery store giveaway
The Salt Lake County Farm Bureau and
Macey's Grocery Store are giving away $950 of free food to shoppers at the
Macey's store in West Jordan Thursday (Feb. 19) as part of the Farm Bureau's Food Check-Out Week promotion, which focuses on how shoppers can stretch their buying power and still eat healthy meals. The giveaway takes place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the store, which is located in West Jordan at 7859 S. 3200 West.
Double coupons at Kmart? Don't count on it
Kmart is advertising another double coupon event, Feb. 22-28. But when I called the company, they said only 575 stores nationwide — less than half of the company's U.S. stores — are participating in this promotion, so you need to call ahead and check with your local store before you go.
Labels: Double coupons, Double coupons at Kmart, Kmart
Have you purchased a Dell computer recently?
Utah residents who purchased computer products from Dell between April 2005 and January 29 of this year may be eligible for a refund if they experienced problems with the company's financing promotions, rebate offers, technical support and/or repair policies. The refunds are part of a settlement between the computer company and 49 states, including Utah. Find out whether you may qualify
here. Residents of other states must contact their state attorney
general's office for more information about the settlement and whether they qualify.
Labels: Dell, Dell settlement
More savings at Savers
Thrift-store chain
Savers has rolled out another way to save you money. This "super saver pass" was spotted by
www.stretchthatdollar.com.
Southwest is having a fare sale
Details are on their
web site.
Free Starbucks sample!
Starbucks has unveiled a new instant coffee. A free sample is available
here.
(Update: They apparently have stopped offering this freebie online after taking requests for 200,000 samples.)
Labels: Free Starbucks, Free Starbucks sample
Check this web site out every Tuesday morning
Clear Channel Communications posts some deeply discounted deals at restaurants and other types of businesses
here. Deals are updated every Tuesday, and some go quite fast. Last week
Fazoli's offered six $5 gift certificates (for a total value of $30) for $15, and Bangkok Thai offered up two $25 certificates, worth a total of $50, for $25.
Shop with the "Grocery Guru"
Utah's "Grocery Guru," - Ken
Roesbery - knows how to save money at the grocery store. You can attend a one-hour shopping session with the guru - I did years ago and it was very informative - by signing up
here. If you're just getting started in coupons, you'll learn how you can save a lot of money by combining sale items with manufacturer's coupons.
Utah, home of low gas prices (for now, anyway)
Utah is tied with Wyoming for the lowest
gasoline prices in the country. The unleaded average is $1.72 in both states.
Free ice cream on your birthday
Sign up for the
Baskin Robbins and
Cold Stone Creamery birthday clubs, and you can enjoy free ice cream on each family member's birthday.
Savers half-off sale today
Thrift-store chain Savers has one of its big sales today — 50 percent off all used items from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Read about it
here. If you haven't been to one of this retailer's big sales, you may want to check it out. In Utah, Savers has locations in Ogden, Layton, Midvale, Taylorsville and Orem. For more information, go
here. I have been to all the Savers locations along the Wasatch Front. My favorite location for finding designer clothes, winter coats and outerwear and other apparel items for the kids has been the Ogden location. For some reason, this location always has some really great stuff.
RCWilley bonus offer
Get a $25 gift certificate for RCWilley (minimum $99 purchase) by signing up on their
web site.
Extra 15 percent off for members of the military
Military service members get an
extra 15 percent off at
Shopko today and Feb. 16. Get details
here.
Savers sale coming Monday
Don't forget: Thrift-store chain Savers has one of its big sales Monday (Feb. 16) — 50 percent off all used items from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Savers has locations in Ogden, Layton, Midvale, Taylorsville and Orem.
Frustrated with your taxes?
The deadline to file your taxes is getting closer. AARP is offering
free tax assistance for low income people, with an emphasis on seniors. For more information about the program, and whether you qualify for help, go here.
Another source of help: The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program — also known as VITA — offers free help to low- to moderate-income families who generally earn less than $42,000 annually. To locate the VITA site nearest you, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
Last couple of days for a free breakfast
Don't forget, global furniture chain
IKEA is once again offering free breakfast through Monday, Feb. 16. Check out the details
here. The breakfast includes a plate of food and a cup of coffee.
Valentine's Day spending down
Retailers of all kinds usually love Valentine's Day. But not this year. A survey by the National Retail Federation shows that consumers, worried about the economy, are cutting back. Consumers plan to spend an average of $102.50 on Valentine’s gifts and merchandise, down from about $123 last year, according to the survey. Even with the decline, though, total Valentine’s Day spending is still expected to reach $14.7 billion. Ouch!
Disney on the cheap
We love Disneyland, and we have become quite good at making cheap trips to a place that is designed to extract as much of your cash as it can.
My top money-saving tips:
-Wear a backpack and haul in food and water. The
Wal-Mart near Disneyland is our first stop when we get to town. We buy a case of bottled water, fruit (I will not buy a $3 banana inside the park!) and other shelf-stable snacks to bring with us. I've seen some people bring in coolers packed with food and drinks as well as fast-food and even whole pizzas. Everything is cheaper when purchased outside the park.
- Check out the
Disney Character Warehouse in Fullerton, not far from the
Wal-Mart store. The store is a liquidator that sells surplus Disney merchandise. You can get a variety of stuff that once was sold in the park at a substantial discount. Here's a printable
coupon from the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau worth an additional 10 percent off.
- Compare the cost of a package deal with the cost of purchasing airfare, hotel, park admission and rental car separately. Sometimes a package deal isn't the cheapest option.
-Consider off-site hotels, such as a Holiday Inn, that have a nice breakfast on-site. This can be a great deal for families. Make sure to ask whether the breakfast is just cold cereal and pastries or if it includes other items, such as yogurt or eggs.
Utah, the affordable place to ski
Read this
story about how travelers are enjoying a more affordable ski experience in Utah.
Pizza for less
Free crazy bread with a $5 Little Caesars pizza.
Two other retail gift card offers
Old Navy isn't the only retailer hoping to lure customers with gift card giveaways. Two others:
-Kohl's is offering $5 off any in-store purchase to those who sign up on their
web site. Click on "e-mail alerts."
Cabela's is giving out free $10 gift cards to the first 100 customers (ages 18 and older) through the front doors of its
Lehi store on March 8.
Great online sales
My favorite place to find the best online sales is
Dealnews.com. Updated daily, you can find the best discounts on the web as well as coupon codes — such as FREESHIP — that you enter at checkout for an even better deal. Once you're on the site, check out "Today's Hottest Deals" and click on "coupons."
Free food!
UFood Grill is celebrating its grand opening today in Draper at 12300 S. 300 East with free french fries. You need a coupon from today's paper to get the freebie. There's also a buy-one-get-one-free coupon good for a sandwich or a wrap.
Gymboree, on sale?
I usually don't like paying more than $2 to $3 each for children's clothes, whether used or new, so as you can imagine upscale
childrens apparel store
Gymboree isn't typically one of the places I shop frequently. But occasionally they have some great clearance sales. Today, while I was out for an afternoon walk, I stopped by the
Gymboree location in The Gateway shopping center. There, they had a selection of children's clothes on clearance for $5.99 or less, with an extra 20 percent off. I purchased four items for $4.74 each, including one fleece-lined winter coat, for next winter. These are good prices that rival some of the deals I have found in thrift stores.
And you thought there were long lines at Denny's ...
All kinds of retailers are giving out food or free gift cards these days in an effort to get people in their stores. The latest is
Cabela's, which is giving out free $10 gift cards to the first 100 customers (ages 18 and older) through the front doors of its
Lehi store on Sunday, March 8.
Check out these "calculators"
The AARP web site has a number of great financial calculators. Want to know how many years you can lop off your mortgage by paying an extra $50 per month? Want to find out if you're saving enough for retirement? Check it out
here.
A frugal morning out with the kids
This Saturday (Feb. 14), the kids and I will be stopping by Lowe's so the kids can make a free wood jewelry box. (They each are thinking ahead for grandma for Christmas.)
Lowe's clinics are offered the second Saturday of each month, and oftentimes, the fourth Saturday as well, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
After Lowe's, we'll be stopping by Old Navy. Yesterday, I picked up sheets of Valentines with coupons good for $5 off any purchase. The coupons are good on Feb. 14, Valentine's Day. My kids have their eye on colorful balls on sale that day for $2 each. They figure they each can get two balls with their $5 credit, one for themselves and one for a friend.
Then it's on to Krispy Kreme, where they will proudly present their report cards so they can get a free small box of doughnuts.
All three stops are close to home and close to each other, so I'm not spending much in the way of gasoline.
The last stop of the morning will be at a playground, to work off the effects of all that sugar.
When we get home, I'll throw in some frozen pizzas that I acquired for free after rebate. (If you're interested, read past posts about beer rebates.)
Another all-you-can-stuff-in-a-bag sale
Resale clothing company Plato's Closet had its once-a-year all-you-can-stuff-in-a-bag sale last weekend. Here's another similar sale. Kid to Kid, a provider of resale children's apparel and toys, is having a fill-a-bag sale Friday (Feb. 13) through Monday, February 16th at its Ogden, Layton and Bountiful locations. Customers can stuff a bag with clearance items for $7.
Information: Ogden - 394-3464, Layton - 773-3323, Bountiful - 397-0010.
Frugal recipes
Several readers have asked for some "frugal" recipes for meals that don't cost much to prepare. There are a plethora of them available on the
Miserly Moms web site. The site is operated by Jonni McCoy, author of a very good book on frugal living.
Free $5 purchase at Old Navy
Apparel retailer Old Navy is offering a sheet of Valentines for children in its stores. Each sheet has one coupon good for $5 off any purchase. The coupon is good on Feb. 14, Valentine's Day.
A savings club for people with kids
Utah Kids Club, created by a mom, provides for a monthly fee a card that provides discounts, such as buy-one-get-one free offers, for a variety of child-oriented activities. Discounts on kids' meals at various eateries are included, as well. The club also organizes several members-only events throughout the year. Check it out
here.
Even liquidation stores are liquidating
Bukoos (think beaucoup bucks) in Farmington is closing March 31. The store, a liquidator of a variety of merchandise, can be a good source of bargains.
The store isn't a thrift shop. All the merchandise is new, gleaned from sources such as stores that have gone out of business or those trying to unload items that did not sell. The store also gets stuff from shipping companies, which each year end up with a load of merchandise to dispose of from packages that were lost in the mail or otherwise did not make it to their destinations.
No word on why the company is closing their primary retail location; a store employee said the company will continue to conduct auctions.
Call ahead for the days/hours the store is open, since they vary. Location: 1313 N. Highway 89, Farmington, 801-451-7897
Free Redbox rental
Erin
Pettingill rarely pays for a movie rental. The frugal Utah mom goes to the library and checks out DVDs. But she also uses
Redbox promo codes. What are these? They are codes you enter at the
Redbox machine to get a free rental. Many are good only on Mondays, presumably because that's a slow day for
Redbox. Today, she posted the code
WGREEN2, which is good today through midnight tonight. For an explanation of how this whole Redbox deal works, and how you too can rent movies for free, read this helpful
overview at
Wisebread.com
Utah's gas prices second lowest in the country, but going up
Utah has the second-lowest gas prices in the country, travel-services agency AAA reported today. The average cost of a gallon of unleaded gasoline in the state is $1.71, significantly lower than the national average of $1.93.
Only Wyoming, with an average of $1.64 per unleaded gallon, is cheaper.
Now the bad news: Lower demand for fuel amid the global economic crisis has led to the lower prices, but as we all know supply plays a role in prices, too. And suppliers are cutting back.
“Demand for gasoline products continues to be weaker as the economy continues to falter so refiners are cutting back on production in an effort to match output to demand as well as decrease the surplus inventories of the past few months," said Rolayne Fairclough, spokeswoman for travel-services agency AAA Utah. "In addition, OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) is moving toward full implementation of the production cuts it announced last year."
Already 10 states are reporting average unleaded prices of more than $2 per gallon, AAA reported today. Utah's average already is 8 cents higher than last month. Many economists are predicting pump prices in Utah and other states to float back up to the $2 to $3 level over the next year.
Check out this interview
Readers Digest magazine has a compelling
Q&A with personal finance guru Jean
Chatzky in its latest issue.
In it, Chatzky addresses what I believe is the single biggest factor that undermines the efforts of many families to get ahead: The inability to spend less than they earn. Debt counselors in Utah are hearing from many families right now — some with six-figure incomes — who are struggling with the basic financial concept of living beneath your means.
My husband and I made a goal for ourselves years ago to live on half our income so that we could achieve a level of financial security years before retirement.
We've stuck with this plan, even though it's been far from easy. We watch our expenditures carefully, use coupons and limit how often we eat out. We bought a modest home worth much less than lenders had pre-approved us to buy and have resisted the urge to "move up." We drive old cars, one of which is much older than any of the cars driven by the teen-agers in our neighborhood. We have only one television set, which was purchased in 1992. We don't have cable TV.
What we do have, however, is a level of financial security that I know we wouldn't have otherwise. And amid the nation's economic crisis, I can't think of anything we could want more than that.
Credit freeze confusion
I have received a few e-mails from readers who said they just can' t figure out how to freeze their credit files once they log on to the web sites of the nation's three credit bureaus. Freezing your credit file is the only truly effective way to keep crooks from stealing your personal financial information. But the bureaus don't make it easy. (Maybe they want you sign up for expensive credit monitoring instead?) If you're interested in freezing your credit file, click on these links and you'll go directly to the credit freeze pages of each bureau's web site:
Experian,
Equifax and
TransUnion.
Free breakfast at IKEA is back
Global furniture chain
IKEA is once again offering
free breakfast Feb. 13-16. The breakfast includes a plate of food and a cup of coffee. You can add to the thrill of free food by trying to make it through the maze-like store and back out again without buying anything. With all that neat stuff, it can be hard to do.
Starbucks trying to survive recession
Well, it took long enough, but Starbucks has finally unveiled its own "
value" promotion. I don't know about you, but I'm sure underwhelmed. It's looks like another sign of desperation from the land of pricey drinks many people simply aren't buying anymore. The real question is whether people are going to go back to buying expensive coffee drinks once the faltering economy gets back on track.
Are you carrying a balance on a Chase credit card?
More bad news for
credit card holders who pay a balance, this time from JPMorgan Chase. Check out this story.
Check out Tracy Aviary for free
Admission to Tracy Aviary is free tomorrow, Feb. 10. You can also enjoy free admission in March and April, on the second Tuesday of those months as well. Free admission days at the eight-acre bird sanctuary under this promotion are only during the winter months, so enjoy them while they last! For details and more information, call the aviary at 801-596-8500.
$75 bonus from U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank is offering $75 in free groceries to those who open a new U.S. Bank checking account at any of the 20 new U.S. Bank branches inside Smith's Food & Drug stores in the Salt Lake City metro area and northern Utah. The offer is good through March 13. Details are available at those branches. U.S. Bank opened on Feb. 3 inside Smith's stores in North Ogden, Midvale, Herriman, Layton and Kimball Junction. Additional branches in American Fork, Salt Lake, Logan, West Valley, Orem, Sandy, Saratoga Springs, Farmington and West Jordan will open later this month.
Check out this valuable event
West Valley is staging a "Financial Fitness Fair" today for anyone who wants to get their financial house more in order. The event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will take place at the West Valley City Family Fitness Center at 5415 W. 3100 South. Topics such as budgeting, credit reports and energy savings will be covered. In addition, families can learn about a wide range of assistance they may qualify for. Free tax preparation assistance for low-income families with incomes of less than $42,000 also will be available at the event, which is sponsored by groups such as the Utah Community Action Partnership, United Way. For more information, call 211.
I gave the kids a choice
My husband took the kids to Madagascar 2 at the discount movie theater for a $2 matinee a few weeks ago and they absolutely loved the movie and asked to see it again -- on a Friday night no less, when a movie costs a whopping $3 per person. (Family rule: Wait patiently until the movie you want to see comes to a discount movie theater and then go to the matinee.) So I gave the kids a choice. We could go see Madagascar 2 once at the discount theater or we could buy it. The cost is about the same either way. The kids thought for a moment, perhaps recalling that they have watched the first Madagascar movie on DVD more than a dozen times, and decided they wanted to wait and buy the sequel instead. So we'll wait for the movie to come out in the store, and the kids will be in charge of going through the ads in the Sunday newspaper to find the lowest price. I'm trying to get the kids in the habit of thinking about money now and learning to make financial decisions so that maybe they'll make good ones years from now when the stakes are much higher.
Freezing your credit record
I tested whether Utah's new credit freeze law really works this week when I ordered high-speed Internet service. I had locked (or frozen) my credit file with all three national bureaus,
Experian,
Equifax and
TransUnion. Locking your file (you can easily do so online at each bureau's web site) ensures crooks can't gain access. But unlocking your file in a timely manner so that a legitimate creditor can gain access to it has remained a real issue. Utah's law, which went into effect in September, requires the bureaus to unlock a Utah resident's credit file within 15 minutes after a request. So I asked the Internet provider that needed to review my file which credit bureau they used, and I called that bureau's toll-free number, paid a $10 fee, and unlocked my file within minutes. I locked it back up immediately after the Internet company was finished reviewing my credit. If you haven't locked your file, you may want to consider doing so. With the number of identity theft victims on the rise, your credit record is definitely worth protecting.
Free Family Event Saturday
You can entertain the kids for free Saturday at
Valley Fair Mall in West Valley. Go Red Day, in partnership with the American Heart Association, features free health screenings and many kid-oriented activities, inflatables and prizes. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Organizer is
Utah Kids Club.
Before you buy ...
If you're planning on buying flowers, jewelry or any other gift for Valentine's Day, google "Valentine's Day and coupon codes" first. Many retailers are offering a variety of discounts and other perks that you may not otherwise know about. One good source of codes is
Retailmenot.
Don't forget to use those double coupons
If you're going grocery shopping over the weekend, don't forget that Albertsons is doubling manufacturer's coupons. But you need the store coupons printed in the Albertsons' weekly ad that comes in the mail to get the deal. Don't plan on finding any extras at your local store.
Allstate's new web site
Allstate's new
web site, aimed at people who are trying to save money, has the usual pitches for Allstate insurance. But there also are a couple of interesting elements of broader appeal at
ingoodhands.com, including a printable one-day guest pass to Sam's Club. This pass is the best available because you can buy without the 10 percent service fee that applies to all non-member purchases. There also are some nice links to unaffiliated web sites and blogs aimed at frugal living.
Does expensive coffee taste better?
According to a new test by Consumer Reports magazine, buying expensive coffee doesn't guarantee you will get the best taste. In fact, one of the cheaper coffees tested by the magazine — The 100 percent Colombian variety of Eight O’Clock Coffee — was ranked the best tasting among 19 ground coffees, beating the same blend made by the best-selling Starbucks, Folgers and Maxwell House brands. The Eight O'Clock brand tested by the magazine averaged $6.28, several dollars below many other varieties.
The report had little positive to say about some pricey coffees, such as Starbucks' Colombia Medium (average cost is $11.53 per pound).
“You don’t have to spend a lot to get a great cup of coffee, despite what some coffee snobs may tell you,” said Bob Markovich, home and yard editor for Consumer Reports.
Cute (and free) Valentine's Day box
Kids can make a free wood trinket box as a Valentine's Day gift at
Home Depot Saturday (Feb. 7). Some Home Depot stores require you to sign up in advance for these popular kids' work shops, so it's always a good idea to call ahead if you are planning on going. Home Depot offers children-oriented workshops the first Saturday of each month between 9 a.m. and noon.
If you miss that one, home improvement retailer Lowe's is offering the kids an opportunity to make a jewelry box the following Saturday, Feb. 14.
Lowe's clinics are offered the second Saturday of each month, and oftentimes, the fourth Saturday as well, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
As with the Home Depot clinics, it's a good idea to call the location you plan on going to ahead of time to see if they have a sign-up list. And go early, as these types of workshops fill up fast.
It takes a coupon for "certain people" to eat out
The Counter restaurant in The Gateway shopping center dropped coupons for a free burger by our office, so I decided to grab lunch out today. I rarely eat out at lunch. It's one of those things, such as a daily coffee habit, that can really add up. But the coupon was good for a free $8 burger with the purchase of a "starter" (such as a side salad or french fries) and a drink at a very upscale burger joint that I had never eaten at. I recruited two other Trib reporters and went over to the restaurant for takeout. I ordered a side salad and a soda with my free burger, as required, and the total for my lunch came to just under $7 with tax. We had a fairly long wait because the restaurant was so busy, and one of the employees apologized to us, explaining it had been this way ever since they put piles of free-burger coupons in nearby offices. "It takes a coupon to get certain people in here," he said with only a hint of irritation and resignation in his voice. Overall, the restaurant staff was very nice, but the comment stung a bit. One thing I can't stand is when a company provides a freebie but makes you feel guilty when you come in for it. I felt a bit of that today.
Some ideas for making more money
The March/April issue of AARP The Magazine has some ideas for making some extra cash:
— Pamper Pets: Animal lovers are perfect candidates for dog walking, pet sitting or even dog grooming.
Potential Payoff: $10-$60 an hour
— Take Tickets: Consider ushering at theaters, arenas or concert halls for a paycheck and a free show.
Potential Payoff: $9-$12 per hour
— Work and Wander: Combine work with recreational-vehicle camping, workamping, to travel around the country. Many retirees work in the country's national parks during the summer months.
Potential Payoff: $7-$12 an hour
— Sell From Home: Some companies offer the option to sell their products in the comfort of your home or your friends homes (such as hosting Avon or Tupperware parties)
Potential Payoff: $100 to $400 per party
— Teach a Skill: Conduct a workshop or course in a subject you love.
Potential Payoff: $20-$50 an hour
— Tutor Kids: If you enjoy kids, love to teach, and are truly knowledgeable about your subject, tutoring is the perfect option
Potential Payoff: $20-$60 an hour.
—Run Some Errands: Use your free time to help those with no free time.
Potential Payoff: $15-$25 an hour
Financial Fitness Fair coming Saturday
West Valley is staging a "Financial Fitness Fair" this Saturday (Feb. 7) for anyone who wants to get their financial house more in order. The event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will take place at the West Valley City Family Fitness Center at 5415 W. 3100 South. Topics such as budgeting, credit reports and energy savings will be covered. In addition, families can learn about a wide range of assistance they may qualify for. Free tax preparation assistance for low-income families with incomes of less than $42,000 also will be available at the event, which is sponsored by groups such as the Utah Community Action Partnership, United Way. For more information, call 211.
An almost-free meal
More free food news: Fazoli's is offering a free small spaghetti entree to those who sign up on their
web site. (Click on the words "free spaghetti" and you'll get a coupon you can download and print out.) You need to buy a drink to get the free spaghetti, but that's still a pretty cheap meal.
Miss a free meal at Denny's?
If you missed free breakfast at Denny's Tuesday — or didn't want to wait in the long lines — there are many other opportunities for free food throughout the year.
The next big free-food event is at IHOP, which is celebrating National Pancake Day on Feb. 24 with a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call before you go to make sure your location is participating in this promotions.
Many other chains, such as Chipotle Mexican grill, Hot Dog on a Stick, Starbucks and Ben & Jerry's give out free menu items periodically. Check on the Web sites of your favorite restaurant companies, and if possible, sign up for e-mail alerts, to gain advance notice of their free-food days. You can also sign up for free birthday meals on restaurant web sites, at least for the kids.
Furniture chain IKEA, which has a large store and restaurant in Draper, just finished a free breakfast promotion, complete with a free cup of coffee. (Before that they offered an inexpensive all-you-can-eat pasta dinner.) Its current promotion is a plate of eggs, bacon and potatoes for 99 cents. The breakfast is served from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily.
One site that compiles a list of freebies offered by restaurants and coffee houses, is The Freebie Blogger. Go
here for daily updates.
Free admission at Utah Museum of Fine Arts today
The first Wednesday of each month is a good time to check out the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Admission is free that day. For more information, go
here.
Read those notices you get from credit card companies
I have to admit, I'm guilty of tossing aside many of the disclosures I get from credit card companies. But many Trib readers who say they have read these notices in recent weeks say the terms of their cards keep getting worse. Most of the changes are impacting people who carry balances, with the addition of new and higher fees. But even "freeloaders" like myself (an industry term for those who use their cards but pay their balances in full each month) are being affected as well. How? Rewards programs are being curbed. It's taking longer to earn rewards for using your credit card, and in some cases the rewards are no longer as attractive as they were before.
Bill Hardekopf, CEO of
Lowcards.com says the outlook for cardholders isn't all that great.
But we've been through this before. A few years ago, card companies raised fees and "gave themselves permission to raise rates at any time for any reason," says Hardekopf. Today, he says, the changes are more subtle and "require cardholders to pay attention to the notices they receive in the mail, or they could get caught by the changes."
If you don't like what's happening with your card, one strategy is to call your card company and tell them how you feel. And threaten to take your business elsewhere. If they want to keep you as a customer, they may do something to make you happy. If they don't, you're probably out of luck.
Free breakfast at Denny's
Restaurant chain Denny's is providing
free "Grand Slam" breakfast entrees Tuesday (Feb. 3) from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. My guess is that they will be quite busy.
Free Admission at Utah Museum of Natural History today
The Utah Museum of Natural History offers free admission on the first Monday of every month. And they even stay open a bit later than usual. Check
here for more information.
Here's a freebie that could save your life
It doesn't matter if you're a member of AAA. The travel-services agency will take anyone who has been drinking in celebration of the big game home for free and they'll tow your car home along with you, too. The free "Tipsy Tow" service is available from 6 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2. The trick is to party fairly close to home: The free tow service is available up to five miles. Party hosts, bartenders and restaurant managers are encouraged to keep the toll-free AAA number handy as well for those who don't know about the service. It's 800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP) Tell the operator that you need a "tipsy tow."
© Copyright 2009, The Salt Lake Tribune.
All material found on Utah Online is copyrighted The Salt Lake Tribune and associated news services. No material may be reproduced or reused without explicit permission from The Salt Lake Tribune.
RSS Feed
