- Stephanie P.
- Got a tip for your fellow cheapskates? Send it to hardtimesnewsletter@gmail.com!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Reminder: Free SAM admission with Seattle Public Library card.
The Calder exhibit is still going on, if you haven't seen it already. And check out the full roster of current exhibitions here.
Borders: 25% off one item.
Free Bora Bora Bar and chance to win a Bora Bora trip.
BORA BORA!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
O freebies, where art thou?
I'll keep looking, and somehow we'll get through this together.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Kikkoman contest up and running again.
Anyway, they just sent me an email saying that the contest is up and running once more, so you can go enter to win fabulous prizes such as a silicone basting brush, spoon rest, stainless steel tongs, cookbooks, or coupons for Kikkoman products. No purchase required, but you'll have to enter your contact info so they can email you a PIN to enter with.
Amazon: Free IODA SXSW MP3 sampler.
(Requires Amazon's MP3 downloader widget, which is free and automatically imports your downloads to iTunes.)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Facebook: Free ZonePerfect sample bar.
Personally, I can't think of anything less appealing than the phrase "nutrition square," but I guess that's why I'm not a fan. Number 30,001, you owe me.
Reminder: Free Jack in the Box grilled sammie with purchase of large drink.
I don't know why JITB hates Seattle so much, but I'm gonna hate them right back, how about that? Not that I was planning to purchase my lunch from them anyway, but now I'm EXTRA not going to. Take that.
Free South Beach Living Fiber Fit S’mores Bar
Apparently what you want to do is go here and then click the first option, "1," when it asks how many boxes you have bought in the last 3 months. That will move you forward to the freebie offer, where you fill out the form and they'll send you your very own fibrous bar!
Borders: 30% off one item.
Reminder: Free IHOP pancakes today, 2/23.
Remember, today is National Pancake Day, and IHOP is celebrating with free pancakes! From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., you can get one free short stack (three) of buttermilk pancakes (limit of one free short stack per guest;offer is valid at participating restaurants for dine-in only while supplies last and is not valid with any other offer, special coupon or discount). Find a location near you.
PANCAKES!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Olay Total Effects Body Wash sample.
Medieval Times: BOGO + February ticket sale.
Orrrr you can go through the ticket sale on their homepage and get 2 tickets for $75, 3 for $100 or 4 for $120. Considering that tickets normally range from $50-62, that's a pretty substantial savings. Plus, falconry and "Hollywood-caliber special effects"! I don't see how you could possibly go wrong with this one.
Facebook: Free Del Taco shrimp taco w/purchase.
Del Taco maybe isn't my favorite fast-food taco joint, but I do appreciate that it's the only place you can get shrimp tacos and crinkle-cut french fries in one stop. Something for everyone!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Contest: Win a 2-night round-trip package on the Victoria Clipper.
You can read the full rules here, but basically they want a hi-res JPG that captures the essence of each city. So if you've got a Seattle picture you're proud of, why not submit it for the heck of it? Entries are due by Feb. 28, so start snappin'!
Free coffee/tea, 30% off at Borders.
While you're there, get 30% off the list price of any book, through Feb. 22. This is shaping up to be a relaxing and savings-filled Friday!
Free Burt's Bees toothpaste sample - again!
Jack in the Box: Free grilled sandwich w/drink purchase, 2/23.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Seattle: Free fries at Pike St. Fish Fry, 2/19.
I've never been here, but their menu looks fry-licious, with plenty of unhealthy delights. That deep-fried asparagus has piqued my curiosity, too.
Free pancakes at IHOP on Feb. 23.
They do want you to consider making a donation to support local children's hospitals through the Children's Miracle Network, but free is free, so don't feel guilted into it unless you actually like children.
Free sample of Berres Brothers coffee.
Apparently the website runs a little slow, but have patience and it will go through.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Six Pounds of Pens is back!
You'll get over 300 pens for $14, which is about 4 cents per pen and most likely a lifetime supply. Buy it for your favorite office-supply addict and watch their eyes light up!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Free Tropical Chewy Lemonheads.
Anyway, get your free sample of newfangled Tropical Chewy Lemonheads, which the children of the future will be nostalgic for fifty years from now. Blows your mind, doesn't it?
Information: Scoop St., Groupon, and other "group discount buying sites."
Today, for example, the Seattle Groupon deal is a $30 gift certificate to Galerias Gourmet Mexican Restaurant for $15. Not bad! While Scoop St. is New York-based, there are others out there that cater to various markets. Here's my referral link in case you want to join Groupon (full disclosure: I get $10 if you join and order a Groupon). I should say that I myself just joined, so I can't personally vouch for their deals, but it sounds intriguing and legit.
Ever tried one of these sites? Tell us about it in the comments!
Free Physicians Formula Bamboo Wear makeup w/rebate.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Seattle: What's open and closed on Presidents' Day.
If you're trying to plan your holiday and aren't sure what's open and closed today, check out this guide from the Seattle Times. Libraries are closed (boo!) but street parking is free (yay!), and liquor stores are open (YAY). It's like the presidents are forcing me to be a no-good, stay-at-home drunk today.
Facebook: Free Bebe tote bag, through 2/15.
The freebie ends today, so strike fast!
Borders: 33% off one item.
Of course, I have the day off today and am firmly dedicated to PJs and couch time all day long, but if I were going out today, this would be a good coupon to take with me. George Washington liked saving money, didn't he? Or was that Lincoln?
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Seattle: President's Day sale at Goodwill.
Actually, if Seattle Goodwill is having a sale, then I'm sure all the other Goodwills are too, so even if you don't live here, check out your local store and find out what's happening. If your weather is as lousy and rainy as it is here, you might as well spend the holiday cleaning out a closet for donations and/or buying some sequined cruisewear, right?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Amazon: 50% MORE off the magazine sale!
Happy reading!
Seattle: Free Cupcake Royale to the first 50 Zipcar members on 2/13.
Cupcake Royale opens at 7:00 am, though, so you might have to throw on a jacket over your PJs and hustle over for your free confection.
Borders: 20% off one item, 30% off any hardcover.
Facebook: BOGO PopChips w/coupon.
I know we all got burned a few weeks ago with that "pop it forward" promotion that, supposedly, was only meant to go out to a few special people and they had no idea how it could possibly have gone viral, blah blah. But I think this one is on the up-and-up, so give it a try and dazzle your Valentine with healthy potato snacks this weekend.
Free Emergen-C sample.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Amazon: February Magazine Sale through 2/28.
- Cosmopolitan: $10/one year
- Seventeen: $7/two years
- Vegetarian Times: $7/one year
- Glamour: $7/one year
- Cat Fancy: $8/one year
- Elle: $9/one year
- Esquire: $9/two years
...and many more that I'm too lazy to list here. Check it out, and if you already have subscriptions through Amazon, also take a look at their new Subscription Manager, which shows you all your magazines, subscription renewal dates, mailing addresses, etc. in one convenient place.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Free full-size Aveeno Stress Relief lotion.
Aveeno lotion is kinda pricey, so it might be worth the annoyance to submit the form a few times. But then, you might NEED the whole thing after the stress of resubmitting the stupid form!
UPDATE: OK, so it took me about seven tries to get it. Finally, it started loading reeeaally slowly, and then it grudgingly gave me the "thank you" confirmation at last. Hang in there, it will work!
Free World's Best Cat Litter w/rebate.
With savings like that, I might need to get a cat just so I can use it for freebie leverage! I guess I'd have to share my wet cat food tins, though.
Borders: 33% off one item.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Reminder: Denny's free Grand Slam tomorrow, 2/9.
Don't forget, hungry folks: Denny's is doing the Free Grand Slam offer tomorrow, Feb. 9, from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. I've heard that this immensely popular promo leads to lines around the block and hours-long waits, so it's up to you to decide whether it's worth the time investment to get your pancakes and bacon hastily slapped together by a panicked short-order cook.
Enterprising hobos could probably work the line with a stack of Real Change and earn enough from bored cheapskates to BUY their own damn breakfast.
OMG Your First Period.
- Stylish and discreet carrying case
- 12 page booklet that answers questions about menstruation
- Kotex ® Ultra Thin Pads with wings
- Lightdays® Liners
- Menstrual calendar
- Gel-filled heat pack to ease cramps
- Scensibles™ disposal bags
- Hand wipes
The booklet is actually called OMG Your First Period, which just kind of makes me wince with its "I'm hip! I'm with it!" feel. Imagine how thrilled your adolescent will be! Or the lucky recipient of a gag gift, if you so choose.
Free Burt's Bees toothpaste sample.
Free Uni-ball Super Ink pen - 10,000 a day.
Not sure how long this one lasts, but they're giving away 10,000 a day, so you should have a pretty good chance if you scoot on over.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
iPhone: Free Puzzlings app - like Bejeweled, but cuter!
You can watch a trailer, but the general idea is that you are a bobble-headed monster who has just learned about fashion, and you must solve Bejeweled/Tetris-esque block puzzles to win clothes and accessories to customize yourself with. You progress through stages in Mario-like worlds, each of which is pretty easy and quick to play, yet the game is highly addictive once you start collecting hairstyles, outfits, and goofy facial features to trick out your monster with.
It's totally free on the iTunes app store, so snag it and brighten up your grim bus commute or stultifying staff meeting.
Fred Meyer (and maybe elsewhere): Free Guylian Twists w/rebate.
It turns out to be an individually wrapped seahorse-shaped chocolate truffle, with a similar flavor to the original seashells. They're available in milk, dark, and praline flavors, and their regular price was $3.69. It's the standard rebate form/UPC/receipt mail-in deal, but you do need the actual form to send in, so look for the displays in Fred Meyer and other purveyors of fine Belgian chocolates. The offer is good through 6/30/10, so you have a little while...
Friday, February 5, 2010
Entertainment Books 40% off.
I've actually been kind of a slacker with mine this year, because I recently moved and am still figuring out what's in my area. But this rainy weather is perfect for BOGO museum trips and discounted movie tickets... plus the Cupcake Royale coupons.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Free Jovan Satisfaction and improvement in your love life.
Well, actually, their steps to satisfacation involve something called a "Satisfaction Toolkit," which is not yet available on the website. But you can still get your free fragrance sample if you want to get a head start.
Man, this is complicated! But they must know what they're doing, right? This is SCIENCE, after all.
Free photo books from Hot Prints.
Sounds like you may have to download some software to lay out your photo book and captions and such, but it could be a nice little Valentine's card or a gift for that aged relative who still can't open picture attachments in email.
(Courtesy of HeyItsFree.net)
Denny's: Free Grand Slam on Tuesday, 2/9.
Denny's is brave, considering the vast string of failures that chain restaurants have had in the past year or so with free-food promos, but I guess they know their demographic. Have fun waiting in line with the derelicts.
On the Border: free bag of fresh tortilla chips on 2/7.
Then you will be all ready for this televised entertainment spectacle, whatever it is!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Seattle: Free swag bags, sushi, and $20 styles at Swink, 2/4.
Swink is located at 611 Stewart St. in Seattle.
Reminder: Free KIND snack bars at Starbucks, Feb. 5.
Don't forget, coffee and other hot-beverage lovers: free samples of KIND snack bars in all Starbucks stores on February 5! They'll be offering two flavors, Fruit & Nut Delight and Cranberry Almond+Antioxidants, so stop by and get yours this Friday.
Click here to find a Starbucks near you.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Facebook: Free box of Revolution tea.
Information: Haggling 101.
Well, if you're brassier than me and you want to know how, check out this Consumerist post with a link to a Washington Post article. It may just change your mind on begging for deals.
Borders: 33% off one item.
The good news: here's another one, good through Feb. 4.
Now don't you feel lucky?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Send an e-card, free Yogi Tea samples to a friend.
iPhone: Free Ultimate Video Poker, 2/1 only.
Remember like fifteen years ago when those handheld video poker, blackjack, etc., machines were all the rage? OK, maybe that was just in Nevada. We really can't bear to be away from gambling for even a second there.
(Courtesy of Dealnews)