I hope that everyone had a great weekend. After another crazy work week for both of us, we stayed in on Friday and took advantage of the Papa John's Superbowl Deal and got a credit for a free pizza for next time.
Saturday was cleaning and starting to train for the two half marathons I'm running this spring. My boyfriend suggested we see Lone Survivor, which sounded good to me. In typical saver style, I told him that I had a certificate from Coke Rewards for one AMC Theatres ticket and a soda. When he went to redeem it, they actually gave us both tickets, which was unexpected but appreciated.
When we got to the theater, there were signs that if you text BEST to 242424, they text you back with a certificate for a free small popcorn. They replied back with it right away, one time use, valid until March 6. It's an AMC Theatres nationwide promotion, so make sure you take advantage of it if you have an AMC Theatres near you.
We weren't really hungry so we enjoyed our soda and held off on the popcorn, but have it to use for next time. My boyfriend marveled that the entire movie experience was free. It's nice when he appreciates my saving ways :)
Lone Survivor was amazing. I highly recommend it. The acting was top notch and the story completely draws you in. The fact that the story is true makes it even more emotional and at times painful to watch. From what I'm told, it was an accurate portrayal of the SEAL culture and overall what happened. I was in disbelief of the comm failures that took place, but I'm told that sadly those failures are not that uncommon. The film is a great tribute to the brave men of Operation Red Wings and a look into the struggles faced by the heroic men and women of the United States military.
Sunday was errands, cleaning, and then going to our friends' place to watch the Super Bowl.
How was your weekend?
Showing posts with label promo code. Show all posts
Showing posts with label promo code. Show all posts
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
Free Thing Friday - Super Bowl Edition
An occasion is always an occasion for deals.
Chances are you didn't get free Super Bowl tickets like this person by calling the phone number in the Old Spice commercial (good marketing), but there are still some deals you can take advantage of this weekend.
No matter who you're cheering on this Sunday (or if you're in it for the commercials), here are a few great deals:
Free Bloomin' Onion at Outback Steakhouse with any purchase on Monday when you say "Super Bloom"
Place any Papa John's order of $15 or more online this weekend with promo code PJMVP and get a free large pizza with up to three toppings on a future order (no additional purchase required for future order).
Chances are you didn't get free Super Bowl tickets like this person by calling the phone number in the Old Spice commercial (good marketing), but there are still some deals you can take advantage of this weekend.
No matter who you're cheering on this Sunday (or if you're in it for the commercials), here are a few great deals:
Free Bloomin' Onion at Outback Steakhouse with any purchase on Monday when you say "Super Bloom"
Place any Papa John's order of $15 or more online this weekend with promo code PJMVP and get a free large pizza with up to three toppings on a future order (no additional purchase required for future order).
In addition to these two big national deals, there are lots of drink and food specials (often free food) and local bars and restaurants so spend a few minutes doing some internet research or making some phone calls to make sure that your Super Bowl plans don't break the bank. Also, if your group supports it, consider getting together at someone's house or apartment. Everyone saves big, and it's often more fun.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Uber - A New Way to Get Around
Within the last few years, I heard about Uber. Started as a sedan service, it brings additional convenience by letting you order the car from their mobile app with a network of drivers, often resulting in much shorter wait times. As someone who prefers to take public transportation when possible to save, I was a little skeptical about the value.
Evidently, I wasn't the only one. Uber then launched UberX - an additional fleet of drivers and hybid/midsize cars to provide an option that is less expensive than cabs.
I had a promo code and decided to give it a try when we went to my boyfriend's holiday party. The first thing to note is to make sure to slide the bar from "Black Car" to the left for "uberX". When you register and request your first car once you do the text confirmation, you have to do the request again, which was a little confusing (someone else I know faced the same issue as well), but once the request was in, we were alerted that our driver was on his way, given his name and a time estimate. We used Uber again to get to the airport for our recent Christmas travels and it truly was faster, easier, and less expensive than a taxi.
Also, no cash is exchanged. You load your credit card information into the app, and then it charges you and emails your receipt. You can also do a fare estimate before ordering the car, which gives you a range of what the cost might be to help you figure out if you want to order the car or not. Tipping is not expected, as the driver receives the majority of the fare, but you rate your driver after the ride through the app.
Over Christmas, I found out that a family member is driving for UberX in Chicago. He told us that the drivers get 80% of the fares (and get the full money even when the passenger uses a promo code) and it's a great side gig, especially during "surge" times when fares jump up (this is how he's spending his New Year's Eve, which is how this came up in the first place). The application process was quick and easy. He has a separate phone from them that he can turn on and then is offered a fare when he is the closest person. He then has a limited window (of seconds) to accept it or it goes to the next driver. As long as he takes one fare a month he can remain a driver. Consider checking out driving if you're looking for a new job or a flexible side gig.
Uber is now in over 50 cities and 25 countries. Check out and see if it's available where you live, or where you'll be traveling for work or pleasure. Download the app and use my promo code AVPKL for $10 off your first ride. After that, you'll have your own promo code you can share and new users you refer will get $10 off their first ride and you'll get $10 in credit when they use it as well.
Evidently, I wasn't the only one. Uber then launched UberX - an additional fleet of drivers and hybid/midsize cars to provide an option that is less expensive than cabs.
I had a promo code and decided to give it a try when we went to my boyfriend's holiday party. The first thing to note is to make sure to slide the bar from "Black Car" to the left for "uberX". When you register and request your first car once you do the text confirmation, you have to do the request again, which was a little confusing (someone else I know faced the same issue as well), but once the request was in, we were alerted that our driver was on his way, given his name and a time estimate. We used Uber again to get to the airport for our recent Christmas travels and it truly was faster, easier, and less expensive than a taxi.
Also, no cash is exchanged. You load your credit card information into the app, and then it charges you and emails your receipt. You can also do a fare estimate before ordering the car, which gives you a range of what the cost might be to help you figure out if you want to order the car or not. Tipping is not expected, as the driver receives the majority of the fare, but you rate your driver after the ride through the app.
Over Christmas, I found out that a family member is driving for UberX in Chicago. He told us that the drivers get 80% of the fares (and get the full money even when the passenger uses a promo code) and it's a great side gig, especially during "surge" times when fares jump up (this is how he's spending his New Year's Eve, which is how this came up in the first place). The application process was quick and easy. He has a separate phone from them that he can turn on and then is offered a fare when he is the closest person. He then has a limited window (of seconds) to accept it or it goes to the next driver. As long as he takes one fare a month he can remain a driver. Consider checking out driving if you're looking for a new job or a flexible side gig.
Uber is now in over 50 cities and 25 countries. Check out and see if it's available where you live, or where you'll be traveling for work or pleasure. Download the app and use my promo code AVPKL for $10 off your first ride. After that, you'll have your own promo code you can share and new users you refer will get $10 off their first ride and you'll get $10 in credit when they use it as well.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Miscellaneous Monday - A Selection of Cyber Monday Deals
Happy Cyber Monday, everyone. I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and a great weekend. Today is one of those deal days when your inbox is overflowing with email promotions from every company that has your email address, and it can be overwhelming to sort through them all and find the really big deals.
Everyone knows about the big Cyber Monday deals from major retailers like Amazon (who has some great deals today, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite less known deals with you hear.
You can visit http://www.cybermonday.com/ for a comprehensive least of many (most?) of the deals today.
For the Sports Fans (or those shopping for them):
NFL Shop has 15% off everything (except Nike jerseys) and free shipping (no minimum purchase) with the promo code CYBMNNFL. This does combine with other discounts, including their current sale of all T-shirts 15%- 40% off!
MLB Shop has buy one get one 50% on their site today. Read the fine print though, there are a few exclusions.
Fans Edge has 15% off everything and free shipping (no minimum purchase) as well. This is a great source for all sports, including college.
Other Favorites
Say Yes To (Carrots, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, etc.) offers really great natural products. I got their lotion in an event goody bag once, and it was awesome. Today, from 12pm - 2pm you can buy up to two of their products for $2 each! Great to try for yourself or a gift idea.
Lilly Pulitzer has some great gifts with purchase today including a Bow Ring and a tote bag free with any purchase, and a Bow Ring, Bow Bangle, and tote bag free with any purchase of $75 or more. They're also offering $2 gift wrapping which includes a free key chain.
Happy Shopping! Did you score any great deals today? We'd love to hear about them.
Everyone knows about the big Cyber Monday deals from major retailers like Amazon (who has some great deals today, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite less known deals with you hear.
You can visit http://www.cybermonday.com/ for a comprehensive least of many (most?) of the deals today.
For the Sports Fans (or those shopping for them):
NFL Shop has 15% off everything (except Nike jerseys) and free shipping (no minimum purchase) with the promo code CYBMNNFL. This does combine with other discounts, including their current sale of all T-shirts 15%- 40% off!
MLB Shop has buy one get one 50% on their site today. Read the fine print though, there are a few exclusions.
Fans Edge has 15% off everything and free shipping (no minimum purchase) as well. This is a great source for all sports, including college.
Other Favorites
Say Yes To (Carrots, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, etc.) offers really great natural products. I got their lotion in an event goody bag once, and it was awesome. Today, from 12pm - 2pm you can buy up to two of their products for $2 each! Great to try for yourself or a gift idea.
Happy Shopping! Did you score any great deals today? We'd love to hear about them.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Girls Weekend Trip
Where did October go? My apologies for falling off the blogging train (I have at least two readers, since that's how many friends mentioned to me that they missed my posts - thanks friends!). October was a great month, but a busy one with two travel weekends, a close friend's wedding, and a birthday celebration.
Through all of these trips and events, I didn't deprive myself, but I made deliberate decisions to make sure my finances didn't take a huge hit. The point of this blog is to explain how I'm able to live comfortably and happily within my means on a not huge salary and how everyone can do the same.
My best friend from growing up is super woman. She works full time, is an amazing mom to three, keeps her house spotless, and managed to get in great shape on top of all of this. Needless to say, there's some stress that comes with that schedule. Both of us were feeling this summer like we could really use a mini life break, and we live across the country from each other now and don't get to see each other as much as we would like, so we booked a weekend trip to Columbus, Ohio on somewhat of a whim.
Since we've both gotten into running these past few years (hilarious because we were the ones in gym class who thought running the mile was cruel and unusual punishment), and decided to do the Run Like a Girl 10k in Columbus. Other than that, we pretty much had no plans.
We had such a great weekend, and it was exactly what we needed. We stayed up late Friday night after getting in just talking sleepover style instead of forcing ourselves to go to sleep like responsible adults. Saturday we ran the race (and my friend had a 10k PR!), did a little shopping, and then ended up hanging out in the hotel room eating pizza (we discovered Donatos, which was amazing) and having a few drinks. It was seriously one of the best weekends ever.
How did we keep this trip reasonable from a cost perspective?
1. Used hotel points for the room
Tip - register for the rewards program any time you stay in a hotel or fly on an airplane. They add up. Consider getting a credit or debit card that gives you hotel points or miles (my credit card is linked to my favorite hotel chain).
2. Saved a little with a promo code for a discount on the race registration fee.
Tip - when there is a promo code box, take a minute to search for a code. Usually, it pays off, and it feels like such a win when it does.
3. Remembered what was important to us. Our goal was just to spend time together, just us, relaxing so that was the focus. The first night when we got in, we ate at Wendy's, and basically closed out the place. That was all that was right by our hotel, but we enjoyed the experience as much as if we would have found a real restaurant (no offense, Wendy's - we love you!). We took time to see Columbus, and listened to friend recommendations and hit up Jeni's for ice cream on our last day - totally worth the trip, and totally had ice cream for lunch:)
Tip - just because you're traveling doesn't have to mean going out to expensive meals all of the time. Make a big expense deliberate, even when you're traveling.
4. Always had deals handy. We ended up having lunch at TGI Fridays for lunch on Saturday, and I realized I had credit through their Give me More Stripes Rewards Program which I joined in college, and rarely use. We saved $8 on our lunch!
Tip - when possible keep your deals loaded through apps on your phone so they're always available.
5. Timing is everything. We considered going to the casino there on Saturday night, but because a round trip cab was going to be very pricey we decided to just stop by to see it on Sunday, when we could drive ourselves because we wouldn't be drinking at the casino.
Tip - keep in mind that you can adjust your schedule to do everything you want, and a few adjustments can mean big savings.
The icing on the cake? When I checked in at the airport for my return flight, it was overbooked. I immediately went to the gate agent once I got through security to see if they needed volunteers and what the new itinerary would be, and I was routed on different flights, getting me in earlier than my original flight schedule, and a $150 flight voucher richer:) It's always worth asking what the option for volunteers is when a flight is overbooked. I did get especially lucky on that one though.
Through all of these trips and events, I didn't deprive myself, but I made deliberate decisions to make sure my finances didn't take a huge hit. The point of this blog is to explain how I'm able to live comfortably and happily within my means on a not huge salary and how everyone can do the same.
My best friend from growing up is super woman. She works full time, is an amazing mom to three, keeps her house spotless, and managed to get in great shape on top of all of this. Needless to say, there's some stress that comes with that schedule. Both of us were feeling this summer like we could really use a mini life break, and we live across the country from each other now and don't get to see each other as much as we would like, so we booked a weekend trip to Columbus, Ohio on somewhat of a whim.
Since we've both gotten into running these past few years (hilarious because we were the ones in gym class who thought running the mile was cruel and unusual punishment), and decided to do the Run Like a Girl 10k in Columbus. Other than that, we pretty much had no plans.
We had such a great weekend, and it was exactly what we needed. We stayed up late Friday night after getting in just talking sleepover style instead of forcing ourselves to go to sleep like responsible adults. Saturday we ran the race (and my friend had a 10k PR!), did a little shopping, and then ended up hanging out in the hotel room eating pizza (we discovered Donatos, which was amazing) and having a few drinks. It was seriously one of the best weekends ever.
 |
| Run Like a Girl 10k - Great, well run new race with a sparkly medal and other great giveaways. |
How did we keep this trip reasonable from a cost perspective?
1. Used hotel points for the room
Tip - register for the rewards program any time you stay in a hotel or fly on an airplane. They add up. Consider getting a credit or debit card that gives you hotel points or miles (my credit card is linked to my favorite hotel chain).
2. Saved a little with a promo code for a discount on the race registration fee.
Tip - when there is a promo code box, take a minute to search for a code. Usually, it pays off, and it feels like such a win when it does.
3. Remembered what was important to us. Our goal was just to spend time together, just us, relaxing so that was the focus. The first night when we got in, we ate at Wendy's, and basically closed out the place. That was all that was right by our hotel, but we enjoyed the experience as much as if we would have found a real restaurant (no offense, Wendy's - we love you!). We took time to see Columbus, and listened to friend recommendations and hit up Jeni's for ice cream on our last day - totally worth the trip, and totally had ice cream for lunch:)
Tip - just because you're traveling doesn't have to mean going out to expensive meals all of the time. Make a big expense deliberate, even when you're traveling.
4. Always had deals handy. We ended up having lunch at TGI Fridays for lunch on Saturday, and I realized I had credit through their Give me More Stripes Rewards Program which I joined in college, and rarely use. We saved $8 on our lunch!
Tip - when possible keep your deals loaded through apps on your phone so they're always available.
5. Timing is everything. We considered going to the casino there on Saturday night, but because a round trip cab was going to be very pricey we decided to just stop by to see it on Sunday, when we could drive ourselves because we wouldn't be drinking at the casino.
Tip - keep in mind that you can adjust your schedule to do everything you want, and a few adjustments can mean big savings.
The icing on the cake? When I checked in at the airport for my return flight, it was overbooked. I immediately went to the gate agent once I got through security to see if they needed volunteers and what the new itinerary would be, and I was routed on different flights, getting me in earlier than my original flight schedule, and a $150 flight voucher richer:) It's always worth asking what the option for volunteers is when a flight is overbooked. I did get especially lucky on that one though.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Website Wednesday - Retail Me Not
I don't know about you, but my one of my pet peeves is making a purchase online and seeing a promo code or coupon code box and having nothing to input into it, knowing that I'm missing out on a saving opportunity.
Typically in this event, I'll google "Company X promo code" and see what I can get. One great consolidated resource is Retail Me Not. This site is the most comprehensive list I've found of current promo codes for a variety of retailers. You can search by store or just view the top deals of the day (currently 15% off at Kate Spade, 20% off at Old Navy, and 20% off at Bed, Bath, & Beyond just to name a few) or enter the retailer you're looking for in the search field. They have a list of deal options from a number of stores including the overall success rate by users.
There is a separate section for all free shipping deals, printable in store coupons, and printable grocery coupons that can be searched by category.
Next time you stumble across a promo code box, and have nothing to enter, give Retail Me Not a quick visit and see if you can get in on whatever deal opportunities are out there.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Pottery Barn Deal- 15% Off
Investing in quality pieces can actually save money in the long run. Pottery Barn is a great place to do just that. They currently have a special where you can get 15% off everything online from now through Thursday, September 19 , including sale items, with Promo Code 4WPF-66QV-X8NT.
Here are a few of my dream items:
Here are a few of my dream items:
PEARCE UPHOLSTERED LEFT-ARM 2-PIECE SECTIONAL WITH CHAISE, DOWN-BLEND WRAP CUSHIONS, EVERYDAYSUEDE™ in NUTMEG
A good couch can really make a living room. I miss my old roommate's sectional, and this one is one is classic and comfortable.
GABRIELLA TIERED PLATTER STAND
This would be great for entertaining.
REED RUG IN STONE
I like how has both a modern and a classic look at the same time.
I'll likely hold off on purchases this time, but it's still fun to look and get ideas. If you've had your eye on something and planned for it in your budget, this is the time to go for it with the extra 15% off.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Redbox Deal and This Is 40
Friday night was a redbox and dinner at home kind of night. Redbox by design is a great source of super low cost entertainment. $1.20 for a movie instead of spending $12 per person for tickets speaks for itself. However, the deal gets even better when it's free.
There are a number of promo codes floating around out there. DVDONME has worked for me in the past for a free rental. You can use it once per credit/debit card. Since I've already used it for all of my cards and my boyfriend's cards as well, I did a little hunting for new codes. I found a large list and tried a few of them with no avail, but then entered the next one DVDNIGHT and it worked like a charm - free movie!
My chosen selection was This Is 40. I went with my boyfriend's pick for last time, and thought this movie looked hilarious. He was hesitant because the Rotten Tomatoes rating was so bad, but we figured for free we had nothing to lose.
Overall? Mixed opinions. Pros: Great cast, some hilarious one liners, and awesome cameo by the Philadelphia Flyers. Cons: An uncomfortable amount of tension in the majority of scenes and too many subplots that weren't completely developed.
It was entertaining, and a good movie to just rent (especially for free) instead of seeing in the theatres.
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