May 10 is Free Cone Day at Haagen-Dazs!

Yep, this is some serious advance warning, but I wanted to have an excuse to talk about Free Cone Day a few times before it's actually upon us. On May 10, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, stop by a Haagen-Dazs store to get yourself a free one-scoop cone.

Seattle, the only one I know of in our area is that shop in the U-district, which means you'll be waiting in line behind about 4,000 starving students... but go ahead and give it a try if you dare. (There's a full list of participating stores on the Facebook page.)

Seattle: KCTS-9 sidewalk sale.

Attention, public television nerds: KCTS-9 is having a sidewalk sale this Saturday, from 8:00 am to noon. They'll have DVDs, CDs, books, gifts, furniture, equipment and more. Cash and checks only, and all sales are final.

Having volunteered during pledge drives for public broadcasting in the past, I personally know how much swag they have lying around all over the place: not just the surplus mugs and tote bags from fundraisers, but also boxes and boxes of advance CDs and promotional items that get sent to them in hopes of being featured on the air. So if you like a bargain, and public TV, and getting up early, this could be a treat! They'll also offer guided tours of the KCTS studio and refreshments on the set of their cooking show. Fun!

(Thanks, Tiffany!)

Etsy + Groupon = Heartsy.

Have you guys heard about Heartsy yet? It was described to me as "Etsy meets Groupon," which pretty much sums it up: each day there are a few featured sellers, and you can buy discounted gift certificates to their Etsy stores. You can sign up for a daily notification email that shows you who's featured — so far, I've seen a mix each day of bath products, art & photography, jewelry, vintage items, and more (about4-5 each day).

You can also vote on the upcoming sellers and help decide who gets featured next! But I have to warn you, it can be kind of hypnotic clicking through one after another and voting, voting, voting...

(Plus, if you sign up and make a purchase using my referral link, we both get $5, so that's a fun bonus.)

Borders: 33% off coupon.

Mother's Day is coming! If you haven't decided what to get your mom, take this 33% off coupon to Borders and see what you can find. Not only do they have all the usual books/CDs/DVDs, but they also have board games, stationery, soaps and candles, bath junk, and even fancy chocolate! It's like the Procrastinators' Mother's Day Store in there, basically.

33% off. Just saying.

Free sample of John Frieda Root Awakening.

Here's another fine hair product offer: get a free sample of John Frieda Root Awakening 'poo. Having enough volume is not really my problem - I'm more concerned with flattening the excess volume and frizz that I always seem to have. But I like John Frieda products, so maybe it would be fun to awaken my roots, just for a change.

Tanga: 1-year subscription to Taste of Home, $4.

Tanga has another magazine deal today for moms everywhere: $4 for a one-year subscription to Taste of Home magazine. Use promo code TASTE to get the special price. You can buy up to 4 years at this rate, so stock up now and send your favorite mom a gentle hint to keep the home-cooked meals coming.

Baskin-Robbins: 31-cent Scoop Night.

Once again it's time for Baskin-Robbins' 31-cent Scoop Night, which is just what it sounds like. From 5:00 to 10:00 pm tonight, you can get a scoop of ice cream for a mere $0.31 at participating stores.

There is a limit of 3 scoops per person, but that should still be enough to fill a dinner plate, amirite??

Tanga: 1-year Family Circle subscription, $4.

It's been a while since we've seen a Tanga magazine deal, but just in time for Mother's Day, they're back. Get a 1-year subscription to Family Circle for just $4 using promo code FAMILY.

A nice gift for your favorite mom... and she doesn't have to know it was such a bargain.

Borders: 33% off coupon.

I know, a 33% off coupon is not very exciting. But it's all I've got.

Facebook: "Like" Tresemme, get 'poo and conditioner samples.

Tresemme has a Facebook sample offer for you: "like" them on Facebook and you can fill out a form to get a 'poo and conditioner sample. Seems like we've had a fair amount of hair care and beauty samples recently, so here's one more for the pile!

Borders: 20% off your whole purchase, April 23 only.

Borders is mixing it up with a slightly different one-day coupon good on Saturday, April 23. Get 20% off your entire purchase when you show them the coupon.

Borders: 33% off coupon.

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Although this might be the opposite of an Earth Day freebie, in that you're printing out a paper coupon to drive to a store to buy a book made from trees or a CD/DVD of earth-choking plastic. Hmm.

Well, at least you can save 33% off!

Borders: Details on Federal Way store-closing discounts.

Well, I spoke too soon... the Federal Way Borders store isn't quite closed yet, and it sounds like they have some pretty steep discounts now.

• 40-70% off everything
• Buy any 6 books, DVDs, Blu-ray, CDs (mix and match)  - get an extra 15% off
• Buy any 8 books, DVDs, Blu-ray, CDs (mix and match) - get an extra 25% off
• Earn Borders Bucks for your purchases

Sounds like there might be some sweet savings there. You could snag some pretty great Mother's and Father's Day gifts now and avoid the stress! Or, you know, some You Day gifts.

Earth Day roundup.

Since tomorrow is Earth Day, I thought I'd do a little roundup of eco-freebies so you can plan your day accordingly. Looks like it will be full of free coffee, face wash, tote bags, and more!

• Origins: Swap your old facial-product bottle for a new full-size face wash
• Lowe's: Giving away 1 million free trees for Earth Day. No purchase required.
• Disney Store: Free reusable tote when you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags.
• Caribou Coffee: Free coffee when you bring in your own reusable vessel.
• Starbucks: Free coffee or tea when you bring in your own reusable container.

I'm sure there's more out there, so if you hear of a good earth-lovin' deal, let us know!

Restaurant.com certificates 80% off.

Just in time for Easter eggs Benedict, Restaurant.com is offering 80% off their discount dining certificates, making a $25 certificate cost you only $2. ($10 certificates are also available for under $1.) Use promo code EASTER to seal the deal. (See what I did there? Easter Seals? Ahhhh, you kids are too young.)

JetBlue: 20% off fall fares.

JetBlue must want to get some cash on the books, because they're offering 20% off fall airfare when you travel Sep. 7 through Oct. 29. Use coupon code FALL2011. Here's the fine print:

"Discount Codes are case-sensitive; redeem at jetblue.com/promo; valid for 20% off roundtrip base fare for travel from Any JetBlue city to Any JetBlue city 9/7 – 10/29/2011. Blackout dates: 10/7 – 10/10/11. Travel must originate in the U.S. Discount deducted off base fare."

That's so far in advance that I'd be a little hesitant to buy - who knows what airfare prices will do in the meantime, and they say the best time to buy your tickets is 4-6 weeks before you travel. But if you know you're going somewhere on those dates and you want to get the airfare taken care of, this might be a good deal for you.

Origins: Swap your facial cleanser for theirs FREE, April 22.

Just a reminder about this Earth Day freebie coming up from Origins. On April 22, bring in your full-size facial product (full or empty) and trade it in free for a 5-oz Origins face wash! You do have to fill out the form and bring it in with you. Find a store near you.

Seattle, we have plenty of options, including the Origins counter inside the downtown Macy's, the Macy's at Northgate, the Macy's at Southcenter, and the Bellevue Square store. Supplies are limited, but remember, you can always bring your empty cosmetic packaging to Origins for recycling, and they'll usually give you free samples in return.

Happy Earth Day, hippies!

Borders: 33% off coupon.

The flurry of store closing emails has died down, so I'm assuming that our Lynnwood and Federal Way stores are either completely closed or they're down to a few dusty fixtures. Still, you can get 33% off at any of the regular, still-open stores.

Did anyone score any major bargains at the closing sales? I have to admit I was too lazy to bother going. I suspected by the time the discounts were really amazing, all the good stuff would be long gone... and you can't beat $1/book at the library book sale.

Smirnoff: $5 off vodka with rebate.

I love a good booze rebate! In the last month or so, I've cashed in several, for bottles of wine and vodka. It does take a little extra effort and patience — you have to hang onto your receipt, fill out the tiny form properly, and wait 6-8 weeks for your rebate check — but you can save quite a bit that way. Remember to read the fine print, because often you're allowed to redeem multiple offers per household; at, say, $5 a bottle, that adds up.

This Smirnoff vodka rebate, unfortunately, only lets you do one per household (though you could always enlist a friend or relative in the cause). Still, $5 knocked off the price makes for a good deal... and an excuse to try out one of those crazy flavored vodkas they keep coming out with.

Free admission on National Public Gardens Day, May 6.

May 6 is National Public Gardens Day, and Better Homes & Gardens wants to help you score free admission to a public garden in your area! Fill out the form and choose your garden from the drop-down menu. Each coupon is good for 2 people, so print out 1 coupon for every 2 people in your group.

Seattle, we get something called "Powell's Wood" in Federal Way. Never heard of it, but free is free, I suppose...

Lowe's: 1 million free trees on April 23.

Free tree. Free tree! FREE TREE!! That's what you'll be saying on April 23 at Lowe's when you celebrate Earth Day by picking up your free tree. They're giving away a million of them - literally - and it doesn't say any purchase, coupon, etc. is required to get one.

Happy early Earth Day!

BOGO Subway sandwiches before 9 am, Apr. 18-29.

I'm pretty impressed with myself if I can get to work more or less on time each morning. Imagine how efficient I would feel if I took care of breakfast AND lunch in one quick pre-work stop! Subway is offering BOGO sandwiches before 9:00 am April 18-29.

Imagine the possibilities... you could surprise a coworker with a piping-hot breakfast sandwich instead of their usual energy bar, or take a friend to lunch, or grab one for lunch and save the other for dinner. According to the picture in the ad, it looks like a mix-n-match free-for-all, so live it up!

Garnier Fructis Pure Clean 'poo and conditioner - now without FB.

Just in case you missed the offer - or aren't a big fan of "liking" Facebook pages - you have another chance to try free samples of Garnier Fructis Pure Clean 'poo and conditioner. This time it's being offered by Walmart, which runs a pretty tight ship on their samples, so you'll probably get it surprisingly quickly if you sign up. Not in time for Earth Day, of course, but then foil sample packets aren't the most eco-friendly thing in the world, either.

Borders: 40% off coupon.

Seeing as I finally filed my taxes and I'm due for a small refund, I'm already looking around for ways to spend it. Money burns a hole in my pocket before I even get it! At least my refund dollars will go further with a 40% off coupon at Borders. Good through Apr. 18, so there's still time to pick up a copy of "Taxes for Dummies."

Disney Store: Free reusable tote on Apr. 22 when you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags.

The Disney Store is joining in the Earth Day festivities this year and offering a free reusable shopping tote when you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags to recycle. The bag is actually pretty cute - green with a topiary tree shaped like Mickey's iconic head - but there are limited quantities, so if you want to snag one, you'd better eco-hurry in there on April 22.

Seattle: Library Book Sale this weekend!

Yep, it's back - the biggest book sale of the year, put on by the Friends of the Library. For the last time, it will be at the giant hangar at Magnusson Park (which will be closed down for public events this year), so this is your final chance to see a warehouse full of huge tables stacked with boxes and boxes of books at bargain prices.

If you've never been, this is a savings extravaganza. They have new hardcover and paperback books in many genres, plus rare and collectible items, as well as DVD and VHS, CDs, children's books, and even gift items like stationery, art prints, and holiday decor.

Sunday is the day for the biggest savings, when everything is half-off, but you'll get the best selection early on (Friday or Saturday). Not a decision to be taken lightly!

Facebook: Free sample of Garnier Fructis Pure Clean 'poo and conditioner.

Here's an Earth Day-flavored freebie for your hair: "like" Garnier Fructis on Facebook, and you can get a free sample of their new, greener 'poo and conditioner. How green is it? Well, the shampoo is 94% biodegradeable, and the conditioner is 92%. Neither contain any dye, and the bottle is 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. Not too shabby, huh?

Oh, you might also have to take some sort of hippie vow to do something green, but you're probably doing that already, right?

Borders: 33% off coupon.

Even if you can't make it to one of Borders' store closing sales to pick up the 50% off coupon, you can still enjoy a 33% off coupon, which is only 17% inferior. That's not bad, right?

Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's.

Today is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's! That's right, free ice cream cones for all, in your choice of flavors, from noon to 8:00 pm today. Find a store near you — or five — and plan your frozen, sugary binge.

Sadly, Seattleites, we don't have a lot of participating options... looks like the most central one is the Green Lake location, though there are a few in Kirkland and Southcenter and such. If your travels take you near one today, though, enjoy a free cone on my behalf!

(Thanks, Elisha!)

Facebook: Free Seattle's Best Coffee sample on Wednesday.

Don't ask me how I know, but the word on the street is that there will be a free sample offer on Wednesday at the Seattle's Best Coffee Facebook page. "Like" them now and you'll be all set for your free sample on Wednesday!

Borders: 50% off coupon at closing stores.

UPDATE: So the deal with this coupon, evidently, is that it IS for real, but you have to pick them up at Borders stores that are closing - they have a stack of them by the register when you check out. Sounds like Borders may not accept copies or you showing it to them on your mobile device, so you may have to swing by your local deathbed Borders in person to get one. But for 50% off, it could be worth it!

Here's a 50% off Borders coupon, but I'm presenting it with a big fat caveat, because I'm not entirely convinced it's for real. We see a lot of Borders coupons around here and this doesn't look like the usual format; even the (very rare) legit 50% off coupons generally have the same appearance, and this one doesn't feel quite right.

If you're feeling brave, take it to your local Borders and see what they say, but my Savey-sense is tingling on this one.

Restaurant.com certificates 80% off.

You guys know the drill by now, right? Restaurant.com is offering their dining certificates at 80% off, or $2 for a $25-off-$35 certificate (usually with some restrictions), good through April 14. Use promo code STEAK to get yours — is that a subtle form of subliminal messaging?

Facebook: Free Burt's Bees tinted lip balm sample.

Get a free sample of Burt's Bees tinted lip balm when you like them on Facebook and click on the "Lips Go Bloom" tab. (Well, theoretically anyway - the page is currently crashed from too much traffic, surprise surprise.)

Borders: 33% off coupon.

I know, I know, but they can't all be exciting. 33% off at Borders, good through April 7. Don't forget, they also have the $1 and up bargain tables going - I should stop by and check them out myself.

Sample Showcase opens today!

Today is the day that the new Sample Showcase offer goes live - and, as you can probably guess, that means the site is BLOWED UP right now. But hang in there and keep refreshing, and eventually it will let you in! Probably!

This really is a very nice treasure chest stuffed full of all kinds of food, home, and personal care samples, so it's worth a little extra effort to get. Good luck!

Entertainment.com books $15.

As we go through the year, those Entertainment coupon books just keep getting cheaper and cheaper - and now they're just $15 for all books. I don't buy them at full price, but if you keep an eye out, you can get a good deal on them, and they really do pay for themselves right away.

Here in Seattle, just one BOGO ticket to the zoo or the Museum of Flight will cover that $15 purchase price, and everything else is a bonus! I also really like the discounted movie ticket coupons, which have saved me and my friends quite a few pennies throughout the year. You can even preview the discounts online if you want to be sure that a favorite restaurant or attraction is included.

Target: Free reusable shopping tote on April 17 w/any purchase.

Target is jumping into the Earth Day fray with its own eco-freebie: get a cute messenger-style tote bag free with any purchase on April 17. Here's a fun fact I learned: "When you use a reusable bag ten times, you’ll keep 25 plastic bags out of landfills." I've had my reusable totes for years now and have probably kept hundreds of plastic bags from ever being born. Take that, unnecessary plastic!

They're giving away 1 million of these bags (limit 1 per person), but before you send each member of your family to a different checkout line with one item each, please think carefully about whether you really NEED one. It's green to get a reusable tote, but it's even more green to use what you have until it's no longer good.

Origins: Free 5-oz samples when you bring in your empty old cosmetic packaging.

I always wonder what to do with those spent lip balm tubes, deodorant dispensers, and all the other personal-hygiene packaging that goes in the trash. If it doesn't have a recycling code on it, you're not supposed to put it in your recycling, lest it taint the entire batch... but throwing it out just feels bad. Well, Origins is here to help with their year-round packaging recycling program.

"As part of Origins' ongoing initiative to protect the environment, the skin care company will take your empty cosmetic packaging –everything from bottles, tubes, jars, deodorant sticks and compacts regardless of the brand- to be recycled, when possible, or responsibly converted to energy. As a thank you for supporting the Return to Origins Recycling Program, the company will gift you with free Origins samples."


I have a feeling it'll really make their day if you start hoarding your shampoo bottles and Chapstick tubes now, so as to present them with a bulging, smelly sackful of plastic by the time Earth Day rolls around. Try it and see!

Free CFL bulb.

Rodney Strong Vineyards is apparently the first "carbon-neutral winery" in California's boozy Sonoma County, and they're spreading the planet-friendly vibe with free CFL bulbs. Just fill out the form and you'll receive a free CFL bulb of your very own!

Note: for some reason (I guess because this is a winery?), you have to be 21 or over to receive the free sample. So just, uh, make sure that your information on the online form matches up with that.

Borders: 33% off coupon, bargain sale $1 and up.

Not only does Borders have the usual 33% off coupon for your weekend reading pleasure, there's also a bargain blowout sale starting today, where they'll have books, CDs, and gift items starting at $1.

I've scored some good deals on these in the past, so I think I might pay a visit and see what's on sale...

Cupcake Royale: Free Toasted Coconut Lime cupcake this weekend w/drink purchase.

The weather may not look too springy out there, but cupcakes and coffee are best enjoyed in the cozy indoors anyway. Prove me right by stopping at Cupcake Royale this weekend, where you'll get a free Toasted Coconut Lime cupcake with a drink purchase. You can show the coupon on your mobile device if you want to save a tree!

It does say "coffee," but they've always been very accommodating about people getting tea, milk, etc., so non-coffee-drinkers need not turn away in shame.