Birthday Freebies

It's my birthday this week. That means I am living large (but trying not to get large!) by dining out frequently with all kinds of birthday meals!

I've recently discovered that a lot of people don't know about the phenomenon that is Birthday Week for me, and about how I love to work the system to eat out on free meals all week long.

For example, yesterday was the Pecos Grill sandwich at Jason's Deli with a $5 off coupon (which I forgot to print, therefore could not use :( ) and then I picked up a Japanese Pan Noodle Stir Fry at a place I've never tried before: Noodle and Co. I'll be eating that for lunch today at the office.

I've already got plans to do a Blue Ribbon Burger at Red Robin with friends for my free birthday burger this week, as well as hopefully lunch with my husband on my birthday, courtesy of Rocky Top Hospitality. One evening I may pick up my free burger from Ruby Tuesday, and I'm going to try and squeeze in a free lunch at Moe's - leaning toward some nachos :)

I've got a lot more printed out, but I'm trying to be strategic and figure this all out....Looking at it though, I'm going to want a salad by the time it's all said and done!

My point is - take advantage of all the free meals that can be had for the two weeks around your birthday! Most places send you your coupon a week before your birthday, and it's valid until a week after your birthday, although some places require a birthDAY only visit. Regardless, there are tons of food options to be had - some full meals, and some desserts. If you're new to this though, I'd recommend signing up for an extra "junk" e-mail account if you don't have one already and use it to subscribe. That way, your inbox isn't flooded year round with food offers - it's too tempting!

Check out the links provided above, and for the ultimate list, check out all the suggestions I love here.

Happy bargaining and dining :)

Shoe shopping for Christmas

Hey bargain shoppers - here's a coupon worth $10 off a $50 purchase at Shoebuy.com. They have a TON of styles, a 60-day moneyback guarantee and free shipping BOTH ways.

Also, if you sign up as a new customer, you'll get a percentage off your first order, in addition to this $10 off certificate! Happy hunting for some Christmas shoes!

Here's $10 off at Shoebuy.com

Save on shoes, accessories, handbags and apparel at Shoebuy.com. We've got something for everyone and for a limited time, you can save $10 on that special something. Valid on purchase of $50 or more.

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FREE Travel to D.C.

Just heard about an amazing travel deal for those of you of the road-tripping persuasion: Free bus tickets to Washington, D.C. from 10 cities.

Megabus, an express bus line, just opened up a deal that from December 15-January 15, the first 10,000 people can book free trips to Washington, D.C. The deal is good from our hub in Raleigh/Durham, as well as Knoxville and other Eastern cities.

We've been saying how much we want to visit D.C., and this would be a perfect opportunity to do so - no wear and tear on our cars and no gas money! What a steal! If you've got friends or family in D.C. that you can stay with it's an even better bargain! (Hint, hint, if you've got friends or family WE can stay with, we would love you forever :)

Anyways, we're considering hopping on this deal....er...bus. You should too! Check it out!

Shutterfly Christmas Cards

Check out my post on the family blog about how to get 50 free Christmas cards from Shutterfly!

Enjoy :)

Video Games

For those of you who have video game-loving husbands (as I do) or who love video games yourself (to each his own!), here's a deal for you!

This week, Tippr, which is a service similar to Groupon, is offering a two-month subscription to GameFly for $20. If you've recently rented any video games, you know that's a steal! We just paid around $15 for two games for a week. This deal lets you get 2 games at a time for 2 months. Check it out, and enjoy it!

I wanted to post another great video game deal last week, but as I had bought it as a surprise for my husband, was reticent to blog about it. Alas, the deal is now over, but EA Sports was offering 30% off both NCAA Football and Madden 11. I snagged NCAA college football for him, which he was super excited about. Then, we went to check on their Madden deal ($21!) and found that the promo code was over :( Sad day.

So anyways. Not normally my cup of tea, but as holidays are coming and video games are a big thing, enjoy the subscription to GameFly!

Veteran's Day Freebies

As a special "thank you" to all veterans and active-duty military, a lot of places are offering special sales and deals today in honor of Veteran's Day. In honor of my Dad, a Navy man, and the other veterans who have served our country, here are a just a few deals I know of...

-The local Chick-Fil-As here in WF and Raleigh are giving away a free chicken biscuit or chicken sandwich to veterans and active military personnel. Just show proof of service!
-Chili's is giving away a free meal to veterans and active personnel. You have the choice of one of six meals (burger, salad, chicken crispers, tacos....). Again, show proof of service.
-Red Robin is giving away a free appetizer with purchase of an entree today for active and retired military. Again, show proof of service!

I also know a lot of stores are doing Veteran's Day sales, such as JCPenney with 50% off.

If you know of any other deals, please share the knowledge!

Thanks, Dad, for what you did for our country. Thanks to all of you that have served!

SevenSlings baby sling

Even though we've just celebrated our 1 year anniversary, I already get the baby craving sometimes. These ADORABLE baby slings definitely awaken that desire in me :)

I hadn't heard of this company before, but I'm familiar with the concept of baby slings. Since I began traveling to Central America years ago I have wanted to be one of those moms that carries her baby everywhere. I've noticed that the kids who are carried seem SO much better behaved. Plus, slings allow you to keep your hands free, which is really useful when you cart around a bunch anyways.

This company is offering a free baby sling to anyone who uses the promo code JILLIAN (as in Jillian Michaels, where I heard about the promo). The only catch? You pay $11.95 for shipping.

But seriously - these are way cute and a great gift for a new mom or someone who is expecting! If you want to give me one - knowing that I'm not pregnant - I won't complain :) I prefer the Northern Lights style!

Real Simple Subscription

Hi! Welcome to the new "bargain blog."

I love a good bargain - especially on something you've really been wanting or needing! In that vein, I've decided to start a new blog with bargains and exciting deals I find as I go 'round life!

So, the first bargain I'd love to mention is this subscription to Real Simple magazine, courtesy of Amazon. I've long been wanting to have a RS subscription, but with a (normally) $23 price tag, I can't seem to justify it most of the time.

However, I found that for the holidays, they're offering a Buy One, Get One (BOGO) subscription for the price of one subscription! This means, if you want to go in on it with a friend, instead of giving it as a gift, it's 1/2 price! That's a great deal, equaling about $1 per issue!

Before you rush out to find a friend to buy it with you though, remember me! I'd love to go halfsies with someone so we can both get a great deal! Leave a comment or send me an e-mail if you want a $12 subscription too! Enjoy :)