Also on Facebook,  free Cheez-Its.     All you need to do is vote for your favorite kind on the Cheez-Its page.

 If you’re headed to the Georgia Home and Garden Show in Gwinnett County  next weekend, here’s where to get free tickets: sign up on the home improvement website Networx.com and get a voucher for a free ticket.   The Home and Garden show is February 11th through the 13th.

Michael’s Craft stores have a free event on Tuesday February 8th. From 10 am to noon, they get to make free one of a kind Valentine’s day hand puppets.  It’s open to children age 3 years old and up.

Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders get free admission to the High Museum of Art and the Atlanta History Center on the first weekend of the month, February 5th and 6th.

And Fulton County residents get free admission to the High Museum of Art on the first Saturday of the month.

Here are some ways to save money while shopping online:

Register at Swagbucks.com to earn points that appear on your computer randomly as you search the internet.  The points can be redeemed for prizes and gift cards.  450 points qualifies you for a $5 Amazon gift card.

Compare prices at pricegrabber com.  Once you find the item you are looking for, check ebates.com and shopathome.com for rebates.   Both websites offer rebates that vary from one to 12 percent and vary by the store and by the day.

Before checking out go to retailmenot.com and promotionalcodes.com to find codes for additional discounts and free shipping.

Another way to get free shipping on many items is by joining Amazon prime.  It’s $79 but right now amazon is offering a  free one month trial membership.  

Many retailers will be posting their cyber monday discounts at cybermonday.com.  It’s the national retail federation’s official Cyber Monday website.

Aldi is a German based no frills grocery store chain that stocks a small assortment of gift and toy deals in limited quantities every holiday season.

This year Aldi has the popular kids’ toys Bakugan, Star Wars Lego and Barbie accessories at rock botttom prices.

For example, the Lego Star Wars Freeco Speeder set is $18.99 at Aldi.   That is at least three dollars less than at Amazon.com or Walmart.  Pricegrabber.com also didn’t find a lower price on the Lego items.

Another place to check for popular toys is at  Tuesday Morning, which carries overstock and liquidated items or items that may have undergone logo or packaging changes. 

Consignment stores can also be a gold mine and gently used toys aren’t encased in difficult to remove plastic packaging and wires!

Also keep in mind that Walmart stores will usually match a competitor’s price if you bring in a current ad.  The Aldi sale runs through Tuesday November 9th.

Restaurant.com is having an 80 percent off sale. $25.00 gift certificates for local restaurants are available for $2.00 when you use the code “TOUCHDOWN” at checkout.
Most restaurants require a purchase of least $35 dollars worth of food,   so out of pocket expenses  will be $12.00  plus tip for a 35 dollar meal.

Buckhead Life Restaurant Group is giving away thousands of $25.00 gift cards.   Like them on Facebook and provide your address to get the card.   The gift cards are good for dinner only at Buckhead Diner, Blue Pointe and many other restaurants in the Buckhead Life corporation.   Bistro Niko is not included.   This offer ends on  Tuesday, September 14th. 14th.

Cobb County Restaurant Week continues through next Saturday. Participating restaurants will provide fixed price lunches and dinners for $20.10.Those restaurants include The Grape and Soho on Paces Ferry, The Marietta Fish Market and Shillings On The Square.  For the full list go to the Cobb Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website.

B.J.’s Wholesale club has another free trial membership available. Customers can activate the card any time before December 31st, 2010 and use it free for sixty days.  Click here to get a BJ’s temporary membership.

I’m headed to the Aquarium with my family this week for $25.00!

It would normally cost us about $75  to buy 1 adult and two child General Admission tickets and pay for parking (Adult General Admission Tickets are $26.00 and kids are $19.50)

I wrote about this deal last week but have gotten so many follow up questions and requests for information,  I’m adding to it and letting you know about more deals as well!!

The Mommy and Me promotion drastically cuts the price: For $25.00, one parent and four children age five and under can visit the aquarium. The special deal also includes parking.

The promotion is not listed under the ticket page of the Gaaquarium.org but visitors can order tickets at this link:www.gaaquarium.org/acb/stores.

Aquarium Spokesman Scott Higley said the Aquarium circulated news of the deal on Facebook and Twitter as a way of rewarding it’s social media subscribers.

The Aquarium has  more ways to get  free admission coming up!

New this year is Pirate Days on September 24th through the 26th. Kids who come dressed as a pirate get in free with a paying adult.  That deal is available for kids age 12 and under.

Halloween weekend parents who pay their own admission can bring up to two children for free as long as the kids are in costume.

You can also visit the aquarium free on your birthday, whether you bring a paid for person or not.Volunteering is also a way to get discounted or free admission. Those who sign up for the Aquarium’s volunteer program pay a one time fee of $60.00 and receive a t-shirt, training class and a one year membership. As they accrue volunteer hours, volunteers receive free tickets and memberships for friends and family.

Scotia Salon in Roswell is having a Cut-A-Thon Sunday April 18th from 12 to 5 pm to benefit the Foster Care Support Foundation. Wet haircuts are $10.00.  Scotia is located at 1055 Canton Street, Suite 120, Roswell, GA 30075. (770) 645-0811 

Oxxo Dry Cleaners in Buckhead will offer a 60 percent off coupon on Scoutmob.com this week.  The store is located at 3165 Peachtree Road, Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 660-0023

Other Scoutmob deals this week:

Monday: 50% off Luckie Food Lounge (Downtown) - 

Tuesday: 50% off Fuze Burger (Midtown)

Wednesday: 50% off Tavern 99 (Buckhead

Thursday: 60% off OXXO Cleaners (Buckhead)

Friday: 50% off The Village Jerk (East Atlanta)                    

Global Freight Liquidations in Norcross has a new shipment from a local warehouse club store. The stock includes baby items and clothing. Global Freight Liquidations has changed the pricing on its clothing: men’s and women’s clothing that retails for $50 or less is all priced at $6.95, kids’ clothing is $4.95.

Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day. Customers who bring a container from their current facial care products will receive a full size facial cleanser FREE at participating Origins counters in local department stores.  For details go to Origins Facebook page.

April 17-24th is National Park Week. and entrance fees are being waived in National Parks across the U.S.  In metro Atlanta the Chattahoochee National Recreation area is normally $3.00 but it is free this week.

Evos Restaurants in Atlanta are serving FREE organic milkshakes in biodegradable cups on Earth Day. The restaurant specializes in fresh, healthy food and has 3 metro Atlanta locations including one at the Prado Shopping Center.

Participating Pottery Barn Kids have Earth Day activities for kids at 11 am and 3pm Tuesday. The festivities include a free giveaway item kids can plant while supplies last.

The Salvation Army is giving away gift cards:  Donate some gently used clothing or household items by May 31st and receive a $10.00 gift card to use at Van Heusen, Izod or Bass retail stores. For dropoff locations go to satruck.org

On Saturday April 17th and Sunday April 18th the Boy Scouts of America Adventure Base 100 will be at Piedmont Park.  Kids can try out a ropes course and other scouting activities.

Some of the items are later claimed by their rightful owners but thousands of others are auctioned off on propertyroom.com, a website started by a former police officer in 1999. The site, which is based in California,  features items from thousands of law enforcement agencies across the U.S. 

Propertyroom.com is similar to EBay but the payment system is different. Those who bid must register a credit card number first and the high bidder’s credit card is automatically billed. The website keeps a portion of the proceeds and returns the rest to the law enforcement agency.

Browsing through the site, I saw some pretty amazing deals on jewelry in particular as well as electronics and tools.  But I also felt a little bad; I mean, most of this stuff was stolen from people who, for whatever reason, never got it back.  It reminds me of the old “it fell of a truck” type of  sale we used to see before internet sales became popular.   Still, buying on propertyroom.com is perfectly legal;  a judge has to approve each sale.  And Lt. Van Hobbs, who oversees the unit,  tells me Georgia law prohibits donating evidence items to charity (like the thousands of kids’ bikes stolen each year.)

The stolen property is sold at auction  only after it has been in the property unit for 90 days and all attempts to contact the rightful owner have been exhausted, including a public notice in a local newspaper.

Each listing on propertyroom.com indicates the condition of the item. Some fine jewelry pieces even have appraisals. Sales are final in most cases.

Hobbs said if a crime victim spots their own stolen property on propertyroom.com and can prove it, it will be returned to them. The website also has a section where people can register the serial numbers of their computer, television and other household items. That way if their items are stolen and later end up on propertyroom.com the company will match up the serial numbers and  return them to the original owner.

I wonder if many of the crime victims whose property is on the site got their insurance money and moved on? 

Anyway, buying stolen property is legal and can be a bargain.   (Buyer beware obviously) It is a bit icky, perhaps, but I’m tempted to browse and check it out.  Before the story airs at 11pm.

What do you think?

It’s my “Friday night” since my days off are Monday and Tuesday after anchoring 11Alive Weekend Morning News at 9am. 

I made it home by around 2 this afternoon (GOOD day), then researched the grocery sales, played with the boys and headed out for some shopping by 4. 

At CVS I took advantage of the Cover Girl Makeup Sale to try out the Cover Girl/Olay foundation which is normally $12.00-$16.00 but was down to $6.00  after coupons and Extra CAre Bucks.  It was a hassle.  The cash register didn’t want to accept my Buy One Get One Free Coupons from the February Proctor and Gamble Sunday Coupon Insert (BOGO).  Still, it worked out with a little patience on my part.  I’ve heard it is the best selling foundation in the country right now, so we’ll see how I like it.

Viewers a few weeks ago gave me a hard time on the the Morning News Live chat when they could see I was drinking not my usual Diet Coke, but Pepsi Max.  When it goes on sale.. what can I say?  I bought 4 12 packs today at Rite aid for $10.00. That’s $2.50 instead of the $4.00 Diet Cokes at most stores right now.   Diet Coke is my favorite but I’d rather save a few bucks! The Max also has extra caffeine, I hear.

My friend and co-worker Kathy started raising chickens and when “The Ladies” are laying, she brings eggs to work! This is fabulous! The first week they eggs were $1.00 a dozen due to being a little small; now they are up to $1.50.  For FARM FRESH eggs! They can cost $4.00 in some stores!

Our family had already started having omelettes or frittata every once in a while beacuse its quick and easy, you can pack it with healthy vegetables, it’s inexpensive and healthy. Eggs are an inexpensive protein and if you’re concerned about cholesterol you can eliminate one or more yolks.

Here’s a recipe from my email inbox from BJ’s Wholesale Warehouse.  I have never shopped there through I’ve heard they accept coupons (always a plus!)

 

 

I have had memberships at some of the other clubs in the past and for me personally,they were best for Bulk Spices,  Olive Oil, Artichoke Hearts, Olives, Fresh Salmon and sometimes, kid’s pajamas and sleepers.  Most don’t accept coupons.

Angel Hair Frittata – Recipe courtesy of BJ’s Wholesale Club

A solid brunch item – or for brinner (breakfast for dinner)

Serves 4 at $1.72 per serving

 4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 small Zucchini, sliced

1 Tomato, seeded and chopped

1 Green Onion, diced

4 cloves Garlic, finely minced

2 Tablespoons Black Olives

½ tsp. McCormick® Basil Leaves, crumbled

4  Eggs

Salt and Black Pepper

½ cup Grated Romano Cheese

6 oz. Angel Hair Pasta, cooked al dente 

 

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. of oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté fresh

vegetables and garlic until tender, about 3 minutes. 2. Stir in olives and

dried herbs. Set aside to cool. 3. Preheat broiler. Beat eggs and cheese in

large bowl. Stir in vegetables and pasta and season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat remaining oil in large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Pour

egg mixture into pan and spread with spatula until veggies and pasta

are evenly distributed. 5. Cook until eggs are set and golden-brown on

bottom. 6. Immediately place skillet under broiler. Cook until top is set

and golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven.

7. Loosen edges with butter spreader. Carefully invert pan over large

plate and slide frittata out. 8. Cut into 4 wedges and serve immediately.

And right now is the worst part.

(”Worst part” is, of course, strictly comparative; even the worst part is still a heckuva lot of fun …)

I have had the privilege to travel quite a bit for my job, and the most stressful time isn’t the travel itself — it’s the prelude to the travel. It’s making sure you have all the necessary equipment, all your bases covered at home, and all your collective ducks in a row before your bags are packed and there’s no turning back.

And that’s usually for a 2-3 day trip to another state; this is for three weeks in another country.

It all gives a somewhat uneasy feel to these next few days. For the past few weeks, even though the trip has been drawing near, I have been so jam-packed with work that I honestly haven’t had much time to think about it. Now it’s time to focus and prepare — I’m Santa-like in my making of lists and checking them twice, and I have already marked roughly 20 different errands I need to run before Wednesday.

But amidst the housekeeping, there’s also extraordinary excitement.

There’s the anticipation of all the great stories I’ll get to cover; there’s the desire to explore the Vancouver area, which so many folks have told me is absolutely beautiful; and, of course, there’s the exhilaration of knowing we’ll be right in the center of the extravaganza that is the Olympics.

There’s also a certain non-work assignment that I am looking forward to fulfill: the request submitted by friends, family, and co-workers to “pick me up something from the Olympics”. A few days ago, one of my co-workers cornered me in a dark crevice of the newsroom and took out his wallet; as I stood there perplexed, he started thumbing through his cash and finally snared a $20 from the pack. He then gave it to me and said the following:

“This is for pins.”

Pins?

“Yes, Olympic pins. I want as many as this will buy.”

I will do my best.

And of course, I am looking forward to keeping everyone informed throughout the Games. Ted Hall and I each have Twitter accounts (@tedhallnews & @MattPearlWXIA11), and we’ll be blogging all month long. It should be terrific.

In the meantime, Santa’s gotta get back to his lists …