Popular Science, $5 for a one-year subscription.

And speaking of magazine deals, here's one from Amazon: a year of Popular Science for just $5. Don't forget, Amazon is still having their extra-$5-or-$10 magazine sale, too (the prices listed don't reflect the extra discount, but you can sort the results by the amount of the discount).

Magazines are so cheap these days that I'd be subscribing to a ton of them if I didn't have more than I could keep up with already. But when they're $5 or even less for a full year, it's awfully tempting!

Tanga: 1-year Star subscription for $8.

Tanga has another magazine deal for you... this time it's the weekly gossip rag Star. The sale price is $78 for a 1-year subscription, but using top-secret promo code STAR will make the price drop to a very affordable $8.

Us Weekly is my trashy gossip magazine of choice, but then, Us Weekly doesn't sell for $8 a year. Or does it? Now that would be a crowning freebie achievement...

Swagbucks: Get an extra 20 SBs when you join today!

I've mentioned Swagbucks before, but today they're offering a special deal, so I thought I'd tell you about it. Swagbucks is a search-and-win website that awards you points for searching online and completing special offers, which you can use to buy merchandise and (more importantly) gift cards from Amazon, Paypal, Starbucks, and more. You can sign up here (full disclosure: that's my referral link and when you sign up and earn points, it awards me points, too). Read my online review of it if you want to learn more. I earn enough points for $25 worth of Amazon gift cards a month, enough for a little personal shopping spree every month.

Today, Swagbucks is running a special offer: if you join today, use code SweetTweeting on the homepage, and you'll get an extra 20 SBs! That's 50 Swagbucks to start instead of 30, and since a $5 Amazon gift card costs 450 SBs, you'll be well on your way.

Last but not least, if you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you'll see the Swagbucks widget. This little gadget tracks SB promo codes that are available on the SB blog, Twitter, Facebook, and more, so it's a handy thing to check throughout the day. If you like free stuff, then I think you'll like Swagbucks!

Reminder: Free ice cream sundaes today, 2 pm, at IGA Kress.

Don't forget, everybody: free ice cream sundaes today, June 25, at the downtown IGA Kress at 3rd and Pike. The scooping soiree starts at 2:00 pm and goes till 4:00, so you should be able to slip away from your desk sometime during then for an icy-cold treat. Think summer!

Nevermind that I walked to work today in a chilly, misty drizzle...

(Courtesy of the Seattle Times)

Borders: 33% off one item.

It's a day that ends in Y, and that's good enough for Borders, which has yet another coupon for you this weekend. This one is good for 33% off one item and valid through June 28.

Of course, you'll have to go to Amazon to see my wish list if you want to get me something for my upcoming birthday (you do, right?). But Amazon doesn't give out coupons.

Information: Recycle those used-up gift cards!

In our modern lives, we acquire lots and lots of plastic cards: not just gift cards (which the issuing stores don't want back and will only pitch into the trash), but bus passes, membership cards, shopper loyalty cards, and so on. Just this week, I saw a coworker give another coworker a $5 Starbucks card as a thank-you for a work project - a nice gesture, but pretty wasteful from an environmental standpoint, since very few people bother to save and reload spent cards.

Good news - those cards can be recycled! Not by putting them in your recycle bin, because they're PVC and not coded for regular recycling - but you can send your dead cards to Earthworks, where they melt them down into plastic slurry and remake sheets of plastic that can be turned into new cards with minimal waste. What Earthworks really wants is to partner with companies that can send them bulk quantities of used cards, but they'll also accept donations from individuals.

So the next time you use up a gift card or renew your AAA membership, don't just toss the old card - keep them until you have a stash, join up with friends, and send off a batch to Earthworks. Now that's the gift that keeps on giving.

****

You can mail plastic cards to:

Earthworks c/o Halprin Ind.
25840 Miles Rd.
Bedford, Oh 44146

• Please just send plastic cards - no rubber bands, paper clips, or paper.
• Please put a label or hand-write the name of your organization on the package so we can track it.
  
  

Tully's: Free coffee on 4th of July weekend.

What could be more American than coffee? Well, probably lots of things, but let's not quibble - Tully's wants to give you free coffee over the 4th of July holiday weekend. Namely, free drip coffee on Friday, July 2, from 7:00 to 10:00 am, and BOGO "barista beverages" all weekend from July 2-5.

Get ready to wash down some BBQ burgers and potato salad with piping-hot freedom coffee! Don't worry, I'll remind you again closer to the actual date.

iPhone: EA apps on sale for $0.99 today.

In honor of the iPhone 4 being released, EA Games is slashing prices on a bunch of their apps to $0.99. Several of these cost as much as $7 normally, and some have never gone on sale before - the list helpfully sorts out which have gone on sale before and which are discounted for the first time ever.

I'm curious about Jewel Quest Mysteries myself, but there's a good mix of sports games, driving games, adventure/quest games, and board games to choose from. Usually I like my apps to be free, but $0.99 is pretty close.

Free samples from Biore.

Biore wants YOU to have some free samples, in exchange for filling out a short survey. Choose from either the Makeup Removing Towelettes or Steam Activated Cleanser. Oh, they'd like for you to agree to receive their promotional emails, but we know how to uncheck a box, don't we? Yes we do.

I chose the Steam Activated Cleanser because it sounds comforting and warm. And by the time I receive this sample in 8 to 10 weeks, it should be right at the peak of summer - an ideal time for steaming-hot facial treatments!

Free vanilla lip balm when you enter for a Hawaiian vacation.

Want a Hawaiian vacation? How about an organic vanilla lip balm? Well, you can get at least one of those when you enter Veria's "H.O.T.T. Hawaiian Vacation" sweepstakes. That stands for "Hot on the Trail Hawaiian adventure," which includes two round trip tickets, three nights' accommodation, and a fresh, locally foraged H.O.T.T. dinner for two.

Winners will be chosen on July 15, so if you like tropical getaways or moisturized lips, sign up soon!

Seattle: Free ice cream sundaes June 25 at IGA Kress.

If we collectively wish hard enough, we can make it summer in Seattle, and one way to focus our mental energy is acting the part. Wear those sandals and tank tops, go to outdoor festivals, and especially eat ice cream!

Free ice cream sundaes on Friday, June 25, at the downtown IGA Kress at 3rd and Pike. The scooping soiree starts at 2:00 pm and goes till 4:00, so you should be able to slip away from your desk sometime during then for an icy-cold treat. Think summer!

(Courtesy of the Seattle Times)

Southwest Airlines: $39 fares for its 39th b-day.

Southwest Airlines is turning 39 this year, and they're celebrating by offering $39 fares this summer! Or rather, "fares as low as $39," which means many of them are $79 or $119 each way. But the $39 fares include:

• Baltimore to Boston
• Baltimore to New York City
• Boston to Philadelphia
• Burbank to Las Vegas
• Chicago to Nashville
• Detroit to St. Louis
• Las Vegas to L.A.
• Las Vegas to San Francisco
• L.A. to Tucson
• Minneapolis to St. Louis
• NYC to Raleigh/Durham
• Oakland to San Diego
• And a bunch of others

More fun restrictions:

• Purchase by June 24, 2010, 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
• Travel September 8 through November 17, 2010.
• Travel valid every day except Fridays & Sundays.

So, if you want a little getaway this fall and you're ready to buy now, you could get a good rate with on this sale...

Restaurant.com: $25 gift certificates for $2.

I've written about Restaurant.com before — usually with a grain of salt — but since the last time I posted about it, a friend of mine purchased one and cashed it in successfully, so I'm feeling more confident about it now. $25 "gift certificates" are going for $2 with promo code SUMMER, through June 24.

Remember, the deal is that you're effectively paying $2 for a $25-off-a-minimum-purchase-of-$xx coupon, usually with some additional restrictions (e.g., alcohol and tip don't count toward the total). The most common minimum purchase is $35, so you'd be paying $12 out of pocket for $35 worth of food ($2 "gift certificate" price + $10 difference). But some of the places have a much higher minimum purchase or other restrictions, so read the terms carefully for a restaurant before you buy! OK, that's it for my stern mom lecture. Don't do drugs!!

Amazon: Free MP3 albums from around the world.

I admit, I'm late to the party with Amazon's free MP3 albums. Who knew they had so many? Not only are there a ton of record-label samplers out there (mostly indie labels, that I've seen), there are a bunch of interesting music samplers from all around the world. Check these out:

• Turkish Hits Vol. 1
• Rotana Presents: Music From The Middle East
• Atração Presents: Music From Brazil
• Wyld Pytch/51 Lex Records Presents: Music From Nigeria
• Scandinavian Gold

And that's just the beginning... there are tons and tons of free albums and songs available on Amazon. You do have to use their MP3 downloader, but it's free and it automatically imports downloads into iTunes when it's finished, so it's a snap to use. You don't have to spend any money to put together a great summer playlist for the 4th of July!

Amazon: $5 subscription to Health.

Amazon's magazine special this week is Health magazine for $5 for a one-year subscription. The product photo is a cover image of "Mad Men's" Joan, which I think is kind of amusing, because isn't she supposed to be the bombshell icon of a softer, squishier era of women? The only exercise anyone on that show gets is lifting glasses of whiskey to their mouths. Before noon.

Borders: 33% off one item.

Borders has another 33% off coupon floating around the Internets this week, so if you're looking for some beach reading in time for the holiday weekend, this is your chance! Summertime is all about trashy paperbacks and chick fiction, so don't worry, Borders won't judge you.

Cost Plus: Free movie ticket w/$10 purchase.

Cost Plus has an interesting promotion today and tomorrow... the first 10,000 people who make a $10 purchase and register online get a free movie ticket. Seeing as movie tickets cost about $10 anyway, you might as well get some imported chocolate and hand-carved trinkets for the same price.

10,000 is a pretty good amount - I'd say if you go make your purchase today, you have a good shot at getting the free ticket in time. Of course, if you don't make it under the wire, you can always return the merchandise the next day in protest and stick it to the man.

Free slice of pie at the Waffle House.

This offer is a little bit confusing to me. I mean, a place with a name like Waffle House, you'd expect to be going there for, you know, waffles. Still, apparently you can get pie at the Waffle House, or maybe pie on your waffles, and they want to prove it with this coupon for a free slice of Waffle House Pie.

Good through July 10, but no waffle/pie love for Washington residents, since we don't have one here.

Free sample of Old Wisconsin Snack Sticks.

I can't say I've ever had Old Wisconsin Snack Sticks before, but it looks like a salty, beefy good time to me. I suppose the best way to find out would be to request a free sample. Click the link for the store in your area, and you're on your way to some complimentary meat tubes!

For Kroger shoppers in AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, MO, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV - http://startsampling.com/retail/kroger/

For Fred Meyer shoppers in AK, CA, ID, OR, UT only - http://www.startsampling.com/retail/fredmeyer/

For Ralph's shoppers in CA only - http://www.startsampling.com/retail/ralphs/

Panda Express: Free orange chicken w/any purchase after 9 pm.

Pandas understand your late-night cravings - they have to eat crappy bamboo leaves 25 hours a day just to barely maintain their sumo-wrestler-like figures. So the pandas will certainly not judge you if you decide, one night after 9:00 pm, that it is time for free orange chicken.

The coupon says "free with any purchase," so I'm assuming that means you can buy a soda or a fortune cookie or something and walk out with your free orange chicken. Good through July 11 for all your evening sodium cravings.

Seattle: Free SAM admission for dads on Father's Day.

SAM just announced on their Facebook page that dads get free admission to the Seattle Art Museum on Father's Day, June 20!

I doubt they'll insist that you whip out your Dad ID, so as long as you're a dude and you look old enough to have fathered offspring, you're probably good to go. It would certainly help if you could grab a kid off the street and hold their hand in the ticket line, though.

Seattle: Final Starbucks ticket giveaway today, 2 pm!

Today is the final giveaway day in Starbucks's "We Love You Seattle" promotion. This time, tickets are for selected shows of BURN THE FLOOR, a ballroom-themed dancetacular at Seattle's Paramount Theatre. I'm pretty excited about this one myself, so you'll find me in line at 1:59 pm waiting impatiently for my voucher.

Find a participating store in the area and wait your turn! These free tickets fly out the doors within 15 minutes or so, so don't dawdle if you want some floor-burning action.

Borders: 40% off one item.

Borders is at it again with another 40% off coupon, this one good through June 21.

Also, they're apparently doing a frequent-buyers reward thing with their Borders Rewards members at the in-store Seattle's Best Coffee cafes - buy five drinks and the sixth one is free. You're supposed to ask a barista for details; I'm guessing you just have to make sure they swipe your card when you order.

DSW: Free sports set w/$25 purchase + free shipping.

DSW has some handy promo codes floating around right now. Promo code FREESHIP gets you free shipping with no minimum purchase. And promo code BOTTLE (with a $25 purchase) gets you a free sports set, including a sports bag, reusable aluminum water bottle, and retractable earbuds.

I've got my eye on some cute summer flats, and everyone can use a water bottle for summer, right?

Free Whataburger breakfast on a bun, June 22.

Today must be my day for freebies that aren't located in my state... here's another one, this time for a free "breakfast on a bun" at Whataburger on June 22 from 7 to 10 a.m. Furthermore, I'm told that if you’re looking for a way to spice up your morning, you may try it Ranchero Style with jalapenos and picante sauce for free.

Find a store near you, wake your dad up at 7 am, and haul him off to claim his free breakfast sandwich. He'll be ever so glad.

Facebook: Free Degree Nature Effects Body Mist sample.

Get a free sample of Free Degree Nature Effects Body Mist when you become a fan of Degree on Facebook. You'll have to install the "Friends You 'Mist'” application on your profile and fill out the form with your information to receive your free sample.

Those girls on their laptop seem pretty excited, so if that's any indication of how this product is going to change your life, you should probably start filling out that form ASAP.

Father's Day: Free bowl of noodles at Noodles & Co Fri-Sun.

I've never heard of Noodles & Company, which is a shame, because they want to give my dad free noodles, soup, or salad, June 18-20. It says "bring Dad in," but it doesn't seem to require any purchase in order to get your free dad-noodles.

Looks like it's a mix of Asian, Italian, and American noodle dishes, plus soups and salads, in a kind of Boston-Market-esque casual setting. Find a location here and get noodlin'.

Seattle: U-Village sidewalk sale June 17-20.

Seattle shoppers, the University Village is having its annual sidewalk sale this weekend. Dozens of stores set up outside tables or special sale areas in their stores where patient browsers can score some deals. Says NW Source: "You'll find a huge variety of merchandise at this sale. It can be current-season or off-season goods, discontinued merchandise, display models or slightly damaged items. Some of the major retailers ship products in from other locations to off-load merchandise and start making room for fall stock."

The sale will be held during regular U Village hours of 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m on Sunday. And Fisher Scones will be there, selling their famous jam-filled fair scones! Check out a full list of participating stores and plan your shopping route.

Burt's Bees Premium Grab Bag is back!

I've written about the Burt's Bees mystery gift bag before... you pay $25 and get over $50 worth of lotions, lip balms, glosses, soaps, bath salts, and more. I ordered one myself last here; here's the rundown of what came in mine.

You may not like every single thing that comes in the grab bag, but there are so many items that it's perfect for splitting up into several small gift bags, or stocking stuffers to go along with bigger presents. I still don't think I've used everything that I got from the last one! There really was a ton of stuff, plus the excitement of the surprise.

Right now, shipping is $5, but they often seem to run promo codes for free shipping that coincide with these grab bags, so if I see one floating around, I'll let you know.

Free Purina One SmartBlend for cats and dogs.

I feel like we've run this one before, but the HTN loves pets and apparently the freebie is still going, so let's do it anyway! Get a free sample of Purina One SmartBlend for your dog or cat.

Lamb and rice, salmon and tuna... these animals eat better than I do! Then again, I'm the one receiving the sample...

Free Starbucks wi-fi starting July 1.

Starbucks is finally jumping on the free wi-fi train, bringing free one-click wi-fi to all of its stores on July 1. This will be followed in fall 2010 by something called the Starbucks Digital Network, availabled in stores only, where you can access paid sites for free and get news, downloads, and other exclusive special content.

More importantly, though, FREE WI-FI! Now you can loiter there even longer with your iced latte, just like they like.

Borders: 40% off one item, 40% off DVD sets.

Borders is really cranking out the coupons this week. Here's yet another 40% off one item coupon, as well as a coupon for 40% off all DVD boxed sets.

Both are good through June 17, so whether your dad is a fancy-pants book reader or just prefers vegging on the couch with a good DVD or ten, Borders has just the right thing for Father's Day.

Free Bodycology sample.

I have to say, I really don't care for the brand name "Bodycology." It sounds like a somewhat uncomfortable out-patient surgery, or something that happens to yogurt when it sits around for too long in the back of the fridge. Still, you can get a free sample of Bodycology lotion if you dare. Your choice of Cherry Blossom or Cucumber Melon! Now that sounds a bit more appealing.

Free travel-size Head & Shoulders sample.

Hey, this is a pretty good sample - not just the usual single-serve foil pouch of 'poo, but an actual 2 oz. travel-size bottle of Head & Shoulders 'poo. Better yet, you can choose from 7 different flavors, so if there's one you've been wanting to try, there's never been a better time!

I'm a big fan of Head & Shoulders, especially the fancy Refresh scents, and come to think of it, I believe my travel toiletries bag is running low on 'poo...

Free large popcorn at AMC Theatres (w/IMAX ticket?).

AMC Theatres is offering a coupon for a free large popcorn if you "help them celebrate IMAX" in their theatres. That's a little vague - I mean, if I can just go, "Yaaaay IMAX!" and hand over the coupon, that's one thing, but it's also possible that it means the coupon is only good when you purchase an IMAX ticket.

Well, surely there must be some summer special-effects spectacular that you want to see in IMAX, right? If so, pass the popcorn.

Michaels: 50% off any item.

I wasn't posting these Michaels coupons for a while because, I don't know, it wasn't exactly a freebie and craft stores didn't seem that exciting or something, but now I feel bad for neglecting them and I think I should show them some love. Plus, 50% off is a pretty respectable discount in my book.

Good through June 19, so there's plenty of time to buy supplies for that macaroni-and-rhinestone photo frame for Dad.

Tanga: Woman's Day subscription for $4.

Not sure how much longer this one will be good, but Tanga is offering a subscription to Woman's Day for $4 with promo code Women.

Apparently, even though it's called the "Deal of the Day," there are a limited number of subscriptions available, and once they're gone, they're gone. So if this one strikes your fancy, jump on it fast! I've used Tanga for subscriptions and it's on the up-and-up, despite the suspiciously low prices.

Amazon: Father's Day $5 subscriptions.

Amazon doesn't miss a trick when it comes to promoting their cheap magazine subscriptions, and their latest theme is, of course, Father's Day. If you can't decide what to get your dear old dad, consider one of these money-saving, golfing-and-fishing, lawn-mowing selections.

I think Popular Science for $5 sounds like a pretty good choice, but then, I don't know your dad's life. For all I know, he'd rather have Country Cottages Monthly or Cat Fancy. Which, it turns out, is only $8 after an extra discount, so maybe you should just go with that one after all!

(AND it looks like there's a whole list of subscriptions with an extra $5 or $10 off, so check it out if you're in need of some summer beach reading.)

Borders: 40% off one item.

Just in time for your dad-n-grad gift-buying needs... Borders has pumped out one more 40% off coupon! This one's good through June 14, just like the 25% off your entire purchase coupon, so you'll have to decide which one offers you the best total savings, depending on what you're buying. You learned how to do that in school, right, grads?

Update: Queen of the Coast tuna delayed; Raphael still loves me.

You may recall that a while ago, I posted a half-funny-half-creepy freebie for some Queen of the Coast tuna, written as a flowery mash note from a smooth operator named Raphael. Several tuna-less weeks later, I finally heard an update, but it's entertaining enough that I don't really mind the delay:

Subject: My tuna...

I am grateful for your interest in the fine tuna salads from The Queen of the Coast on www.raphaelbuzz.com. It shows your good taste and culinary cunning.

Thousands of Americans agreed that they needed to get in-touch with their inner tuna. Due to this unprecedented response, your tuna samples will be delayed till after late July. I send my heartfelt apology and want you to know we are fishing as fast as we can. We will message you when it is coming so that you can be released from this great anticipation. If you have received your tuna and enjoy it as I do, know that we have created a special store site, just for my friends. http://www.Raphaelbuzz.com/gettuna

Raphael, Your Royal Ambassador of Love

Now see, THAT'S how to run a freebie offer. If you're overwhelmed by demand and can't fulfill them all, at least go with it and make people chuckle! (Of course, by July, I'm not sure I'll want the tuna packed in BP oil...)

Seattle: Free youth ticket to Seattle Aquarium @ Starbucks, 2 pm.

Starbucks's "We Love You Friday" promotion is back today, although this one isn't that interesting to me: a free youth ticket to the Seattle Aquarium. The giveaway starts at 2:00 pm this afternoon and they never last long, so be sure to be hovering near the counter if you want to snag one of these.

As always, no purchase necessary, though you do run the risk of getting sneered at if you're in a group of freebie-seekers and nobody orders anything. I'm actually kind of glad I can give it a miss this week and avoid the withering stares of judgment...

Tanga: ReadyMade 1-year subscription for $3.

Tanga's magazine deal of the day today is pretty good: a one-year subscription to ReadyMade for $2.99. It's on their website for $20, but with promo code READY it comes down to a mere $3. This magazine has 6 issues per subscription and you can buy up to a 3-year subscription.

I've always been a little curious about this one - it gets mixed reviews on Amazon as far as the usefulness/practicality of the projects. And since I'm a renter and not an owner, I'd be hesitant to tackle any projects that involve permanently altering my home. Anyone ever subscribed to this one and liked or disliked it? Leave it in the comments!

Free Nivea Happy Sensations body lotion.

So Nivea has been doling out the Happy Sensations body wash samples, and now they have a body lotion to go along with. But for whatever reason, you have to copy and paste the link to make it work, so here it is:

http://www.startsampling.com/sm/wmnivea2010happysensation

Still, it's a Walmart sample and those are always eerily prompt and well-organized, so once you get it to work, it should be fine.

Barnes & Noble BOGO lattes (members only).

Barnes & Noble has been putting a lot of coupons out lately, but all the good ones seem to be for its paying members, to which I say FEH. Still, if you're a B&N member, you may enjoy this coupon for BOGO lattes at their cafe.

The coupon is good through July 25, so you have a while to use it, although by next month an iced latte will probably sound more appealing.

Snapple: BOGO iced tea for National Iced Tea Day.

I like holidays as much as the next person, but only if there are benefits for me, so I'm more than a little suspicious about National Iced Tea Day. Do I get a day off? Will there be giant sales at my favorite stores? What can you do for me, National Iced Tea Day?

Well, there is one thing: Snapple is offering a BOGO iced tea coupon in honor of NITD. You do have to have the Coupons.com widget downloaded in order to print it, but I see this one around on the Interwebs quite a bit (for grocery coupons and the like) and it seems legit. If you're a big iced tea drinker and the forecast in your area is sunny, you might be glad to have a couple of ice-cold Snapples handy this weekend...

Borders: 25% off entire purchase.

Yep, it's yet another Borders coupon, but this one is a bit different - it's for your total purchase, not just for one item. 25% off your entire purchase, to be exact. The coupon is good through June 14, and I'm sure I don't need to mention that Father's Day is just around the corner. Time to show all those dads how well you absorbed all their advice about thriftiness and savings!

Borders: Buy 2 $25 gift cards, get a $10 gift card free.

It's June, and you know what that means... in addition to all the regular b-days or anniversaries you might be celebrating, there's also Father's Day (June 20) and lots of graduations. Borders wants to help you out with a bit of a discount on its gift cards: buy two $25 gift cards and get a $10 one free.

This really opens up the possibilities. You could give one to your dad, one to a grad, and keep the $10 one to blow on yourself. You could use the $10 to buy gift-card holders AND a cupcake-scented pen to sign them with. Or, if you have a bunch of young relatives graduating this year, give the $10 card to the one you like least and call it a life lesson. They'll thank you someday.

Facebook: Free Emergen-C Blue samples.

I've posted lots of Emergen-C samples on this blog because they're pretty generous with handing out the freebies to get you hooked. Their latest freebie offer is for Emergen-C Blue, for which they've teamed up with an environmental nonprofit called Surfrider Foundation. A portion of proceeds from each box of Emergen-C Blue sold goes to the Surfrider Foundation, which "supports the world's oceans, waves, and beaches." Become a fan, get a sample.

I'm guessing Emergen-C Blue is blue in color, but hopefully it doesn't have that "blue raspberry" taste to go along with it. Could anything be less natural than blue raspberry?

Borders: 25% off coupon.

Who's ready for another Borders coupon? You? How about you there in the back? OKAY! 25% off it is!

I'm still waiting patiently for the return of those free-beverage and $2-off-magazines coupons they used to have, but I can wait. This'll do for now, I suppose.

Amazon: Esquire $5 subscription.

Amazon's back with another magazine deal-of-the-week: a one-year subscription to Esquire for $5. This does come with auto-renewal, but now that Amazon keeps track of your magazines in its handy-dandy Subscription Manager, it's pretty easy to see when your subscription is about to expire, and cancel it before it auto-renews itself a year from now (unless you like it and decide to keep it going, of course).

Perfect for the fashionable gentledad in your life, or just any lucky fellow of your acquaintance.

Seattle: Free Cupcake Royale cupcake w/beverage purchase.

Cupcake Royale is doing it again this weekend... print out the coupon for a free toasted coconut-lime cupcake with any beverage purchase (it says coffee, but in practice they're pretty cool about allowing tea or whatever for non-coffee-drinkers).

This is a pretty good offer, because I might not necessarily shell out the $$$ for that particular flavor otherwise, but since it's FREE, that's not too much of a risk. Plus, I'll be out and about at the Capitol Hill Garage Sale tomorrow, so I will clearly need some sugar/caffeine fortification.

Reminder: Capitol Hill Garage Sale June 5, 10 am to 3 pm.

Okay, this is the last time I'm going to bug you about this one, I promise. I'm just really excited about the Capitol Hill Garage Sale tomorrow and I want to make sure everyone knows about it too.

The Capitol Hill Blog has a list of sale highlights, plus a link to the comprehensive map of sellers. There will be food, music, and happenings at the Belmont & Pine parking lot, and you can also bring your own donations to the lot if you're inspired to do some spring cleaning.

Let's hope for some good garage-sale weather! Good luck, bargain hunters!

Seattle: Top Chef Tour Bus pays us a visit.

I'm pretty out of the loop when it comes to TV, but I hear this "Top Chef" show is kind of a thing, and apparently their tour bus is quite popular, too. If you're a fan, you'll be pleased to hear that the bus is coming to Seattle this weekend.

Season 6 contestants Ash Fulk and Eli Kirshtein will offer cooking tips, dish on the behind-the-scenes stuff and answer fan questions about host Padma and whatever else is on your mind. Fans get to sample food and compete in a Quickfire Challenge, one of the show's popular contests. The tour bus will stop in the parking lot of QFC Bella Bottega, 8867 161st Ave. N.E. in Redmond, on Saturday and in Seattle at University Village on Sunday. The demo times for both days: 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. Tickets are free on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the event.

(Thanks, Chicka!)

Free Starbucks VIA sample.

It's hard for me to imagine that there's anyone left on earth who hasn't heard about Starbucks VIA instant coffee sachets, but just in case, here's an offer for a free VIA sample. Click "Get a free sample" on the left to reach the request form.

The word on the street is that they're going to start making a sweetened iced-coffee version of VIA this summer, which I am TOTALLY excited about. I drink VIA pretty regularly as it is, but instant iced coffee will make the workdays fly by in a jittery, teeth-grinding whirl!

Borders: 33% off one item.

A day without a Borders coupon is like a day without sunshine... and since we already have that (grumble), let's try to chase away the clouds with a 33% off coupon, shall we? Good through June 7.

Seattle: Free SAM tix at Starbucks today, 2 pm.

Starbucks is back again with another Friday freebie for Seattle... this one is pretty good, too: a free Seattle Art Museum pass good through September 30, 2010.

Right now, the SAM has an Andy Warhol photography exhibit and a Kurt Cobain something something (wasn't paying attention), so you can go anytime this summer. You know, to get in out of the rain.

Free Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts on National Donut Day, June 4.

Remember, everybody, June 4 (Friday) is NATIONAL DONUT DAY! Krispy Kreme will give you a free donut of any flavor you like, and Dunkin' Donuts will hand you a free donut of your choice with your beverage purchase.

In case you thought this was bogus, let me assure you that National Donut Day is totally for real. Evidently it has its origins in WWI, when Salvation Army lady volunteers bravely fried up dough circles for Our Boys on the Front, and then the entire nation developed a taste for donuts and a tradition was born. And that's why we're all fat now.

Happy National Donut Day!

Seattle: Free admission to the Japanese Garden, Sunday 6/4.

This Sunday, the Seattle Japanese Garden celebrates its 50th anniversary with a commemorative ceremony and free admission to all. Formal ceremonies include speeches by Seattle and Japanese dignitaries at 11 a.m. at the Garden Gatehouse, followed by traditional entertainment and displays of history and culture, noon-3 p.m. Admission to the garden is free during the event (regularly $3-$5).

As Japanese gardens go, Seattle's isn't bad... it's not very big, but it's picturesque and has lots of koi and all that. If you haven't been, you may as well check it out this weekend for free and help them celebrate their milestone.

Free Purina One SmartBlend + Three Dog Bakery treats.

Here's a couple of offers for the thrifty pets out there... you can get a free sample of Purina SmartBlend for your cat or dog (choice of flavors), and a free sample of Three Dog Bakery treats.

Man, if cats could use the Internet (and/or had thumbs), I have a feeling they'd spend all day on your home computer, watching Hulu and ordering moist cat food from AmazonFresh. But I'd like to think they'd be frugal enough to take advantage of the occasional sample, too.

BOGO Blimpie sandwiches w/coupon.

Wow, I haven't even seen a Blimpie for years, but apparently it's America's Sub Shop, so I guess I should find one and use this BOGO sandwich coupon. Buy a 6" or 12" sandwich and get a 6" sandwich free!

Actually, I'm pretty loyal to Port o' Subs, but they're kind of hard to come by around here, so I might consider branching out to a Blimpie.

Seattle: Po Dog $5 customer appreciation day.

Seattleites, have you been curious about Po Dog's crazy gourmet dogs? Well, maybe you should get on over there today, when every specialty dog is $5 as part of Customer Appreciation Day.

Now's the time to try that Wasabi Egg Roll Dog or Peanut Butter and Banana Dog you've had your eye on. Top it off with homemade potato chips, deep-fried pickles, and Mexican Coke for a health bomb.

Seattle: Capitol Hill Garage Sale, June 5.

Don't forget, the Capitol Hill community garage sale is coming up this Saturday, June 5. Sales start at 10 am, or whenever those hipsters can shake off their hangovers and set out their tiny clothes and kitschy vintage lamps.

They'll be releasing an official map any second now, so you can plan your shopping strategy. The best stuff always goes in the first hour, so set your alarms - I bet there will be some fabulous items on offer.

Seattle: Free ice skating June 4 at Key Arena.

So you may have heard that the summers in Seattle are pretty cold...

[HOW COLD ARE THEY???]

Well, let's just say we go ice-skating in June.

[laughter, applause]

Okay, I may be exaggerating a little, but it's true that you can ice-skate here in June - specifically, on June 4 at the Key Arena. For free!

"The public is invited to glide across 17,000 square feet of ice from noon-8 p.m. this Friday at KeyArena. Skating sessions begin at the top of each hour (lasting 40 minutes), and some food and drink concessions will be available (outside food and nonalcoholic drinks are allowed as well). In addition, ice walkers will be available for those who need extra support."

Depending on how many "nonalcoholic drinks" you bring in from outside, you may be needing those ice walkers to get back to your car. Hi-o! I'll be here all week, ladies and gentlemen.

Free muffin w/any B&N Cafe purchase + coupons.

Ehhh, these coupons aren't the most amazing, but I want to be supportive of Barnes & Noble's efforts to join the bookstore coupon trend, so I'm going to post them anyway. This big old page of coupons includes a free muffin with any B&N Cafe purchase (remember, they're not real Starbucks stores, so your gift cards don't work there), plus some discounts on specific book titles and series.

There's also a link you can click for coupon codes for the online version, but I'd like to see how they plan to mail you a free muffin. If it was Amazon, I would believe they could do it, but B&N is no Amazon.

Free Glidden paint samples.

This one seems to be showing up all over, so if you're into free paint samples, you might want to strike fast - the offer is good through June 7 or (that ominous phrase) "while supplies last."

The bottles look pretty tiny, but if you're a crafter or you just have a tiny touch-up job, this might come in handy. You can pick from lots of different colors - I went with a couple of oranges to cover this curio cabinet I got at a thrift store a while back. We'll see how it goes.

Borders: 33% off one item.

OK, it's not much, people, but it's all I've got. Everyone seems to be, shall we say, recovering from the holiday weekend, and the freebies and deals are thin on the ground today. So here's a 33% off coupon from Borders for you.

I feel like the lady who gets surprised by trick-or-treaters and goes rummaging frantically through her purse to find something to hand out. Um... here's an unwrapped butterscotch candy for you... and... a dime and three pennies for you. Good? Enjoy!