Folks, I’m in New York City for work and pleasure so I’m taking today off. See you Monday.
~Julia
aka Bargain Babe
Did you win the $5 Amazon.com gift card for sharing a deal on BargainBabeLA.com? You can’t win unless you share, silly!
Before I announce the winner let me highlight some of the best deals posted on the site. Remember, sharing a deal is FREE, takes about 4 minutes, and is as easy as sending an email.
Free children’s admission to the new Madame Tussauds wax museum – valid through Dec. 31, 2009, shared by AlliedLive!!! Go and check out the Jonas Brothers figures. Are they as cute as in person?
Free balloon rides in Orange County, shared by AdventureGirl
$2 chicken teriyaki meal at Waba Grill in Tarzana, shared by goofy1979.
Local wedding deals including used white dresses, shared by bargainbabe
Tacos are just $.59 cents every Tuesday at Tacos Mexico in Echo Park, shared by Jackie the Cheapster
Friday Oct. 30 is the last free day at Santa Anita Racetrack, shared by AdventureGirl
DRUMROLL PLEASE! And the winner of the $5 Amazon gift card is…Jackie the Cheapster!!!!
Share a deal on BargainBabeLA.com this upcoming week and I’ll choose one winner to receive a $5 gift card to Amazon.com.
More retailers are offering or bringing back layaway leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah, including Toys R Us, KMart, Burlington Coat Factory, and Sears. But is layaway a savvy financial decision?
The latest issue of ShopSmart magazine, put out by Consumer Reports, debates the payment option.
Pros:
- Spreading a major purchase over multiple pay checks
- Gets you dibs on hot items that might sell out when (and if) holiday shopping heats up
- No need to hide presents because the store keeps them until you are paid up
- Incentives to set aside money and keep paying the bill – otherwise you lose everything!
- Cheaper than credit card interest if you pay off the purchase over multiple cycles
Cons:
- Some layaway plans come with fees to participate, from $5 to $150-plus
- Some stores honor at least one price adjustment, but within a specific time frame, meaning you could lose out on the lowest price offered
- You lose the money you have paid if you stop payments!!!
- If a store goes out of business you are hard up.
Does layaway make sense for you? For me it doesn’t. I don’t have any major items on my Christmas list and I’m already saving up for holiday spending. Plus, I’m good at paying off my credit card every month.
Are you considering layaway?
Kim Danger shares more than a half dozen costume ideas that cost under $10 and use items you probably have around your house.
Readers suggested a TON of amazing ideas for dirt cheap Halloween costumes. Some of my favorites are:
Lisa’s idea:
Ha, that reminds me of a party I went to where a guy walked in with a bunch of underwear pinned to the front of his sweatshirt and said he was a CHEST OF DRAWERS! I love the fact that people are turning back to ‘things’ and concepts rather than imitating a person or fictional character. Shows much more imagination and guessing what each person is supposed to be is part of the fun!
Sue’s idea – especially relevant in LA:
Make a sign saying “Happy Halloween” or better yet “Trick or Treat”, put handles on the back and go as a sign twirler. You could wear a rainbow clown wig like the guy on my corner, but you really don’t need any special clothes.
Lisa’s idea:
Get a large trash bag, cut holes in for legs and arms, then fill out around you with assorted bottles, cans, etc. and go as a Recyclable. Then you can cash in the costume for $$ – very bargain babish!
Georgie’s idea:
Put a pair of green tights and top on and blow up green balloons and go as a bunch of grapes, we did it for the whole family last year, cheap as chips.
Lynda’s idea:
I went to a party one year where a woman wore a long orange dress, and tied several piece of fern to her head…said she was a carrot!
Liz’s idea:
I dressed in black. Then I cut the cereal names from their boxes and pinned them to my body. My only other prop was a cleaver with fake blood on it. I was a ‘cereal’ killer.
My absolute favorite idea came from Elizabeth:
Two years ago, I wore a dead-on Jacqueline Onassis-style ‘do and oversize dark sunglasses, borrowed some pearls and, beneath a tailored suit jacket, wore a giant pumpkin face that I’d cut from one of those cheap plastic lawn bags. My Jackie O. Lantern was a hit everywhere it went that year and cost me a grand total of $8 for the drugstore sunglasses and pumpkin bag!
Well folks, I’ve chosen my Halloween costume. After settling on being a “Jackie O. Lantern” I realized I had NONE of the elements of the costume except for a pearl necklace my grandma gave me. No pill box hat, fancy black dress or 50s-style jacket, no pumps (I like strappy heels), and no orange make up to draw a pumpkin out on my face. Putting together the costume would have cost me at least $10-$20.
Instead, I dug deep into my closets to come up with a costume that suits me and won’t cost a penny! SEXY LIBRARIAN!
I already have the rimmed glasses, a fitted navy blue skirt that goes to the knee, a button down brown cardigan, fishnets and heels (the last two are the sexy part). I may also wear a pearl necklace and my sister is going to help me put my hair up. Now all I need is a stack of books and…young man, you have a late fee!
Related:
Halloween bargains at the 99 Cent Store
Reader ideas for frugal Halloween costumes
Sneak peak! BFAds.net, a site devoted to the post-Thanksgiving shopping day known as Black Friday, posted the 619-item Sears Black Friday ad list along with a 48-page Sears advertisement scan. A couple deals that caught the savvy eyes of BFAds:
- Kenmore Washer/Dryer combo for $579.98 – http://bfads.net/Link/726
- Down Comforter (all sizes, including King) for $19.99 – http://bfads.net/Link/727
- Forza Motorsport 3 Xbox360 Video-Game for $40 – http://bfads.net/Link/728
- Dragon Age RPG PlayStation 3 Video-Game for $40 -http://bfads.net/Link/729
BFAds.net writes: “But the biggest news isn’t necessarily the prices; it’s when you’ll be able to get the deals. According to the front page of the advertisement, you will be able to “Shop Black Friday Early… Thursday at Sears.com.” Additionally, Sears will be opening up at 4AM (an hour earlier than last year).”
OMG. I so want a $20 down comforter. But I also want to sleep. Hmmmm…
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Every kid 10 years old and younger wearing a Halloween costume will get a free meal when an accompanying adult buys an entree at the Old Spaghetti Factory. The offer is good on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 from noon to 5 p.m. only.
The chain is mostly on the West Coast and has stores in HI, CA, OR, WA, ID, UT, AZ, TX, CO, MN, MO, IN, OH, KY, TN, and GA. Thank goodness for state abbreviations or I would have had to write that all out!
Caveats: dine in only, cannot be combined with any other offers. Not available in Minneapolis, Spokane, or Newport Beach.
Thanks Tina!
Wow! There are some really hot coupons available!!!
Get a free cup of coffee at Starbucks when you buy a 12-20 ounce bag of specialty beans and bring the empty bag into the store. Get the beans for $1 off using this coupon. Specifics for the free coffee are on the bag.
Get a free pumpkin milkshake at Ruby’s through Nov. 30 when you buy an adult entree. Print the coupon here. Dine in only.
Get a free burger and fries at Dennys when you purchase two drinks plus a burger and fries. (Are two drinks more than a burger and fries?) Expires Nov. 23, 2009. Print the coupon here.
Get 20 percent of regular priced items at the Container Store with this coupon. Good through Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. Online use code savenow.
Get free shipping on orders of $25 or more at Walgreens through Oct. 29, 2009 with code FALL2009. The code can be used up to five times per household but it does not work on pharmacy or photo orders, gift cards and taxes.
Thanks a bunch Tina!
In Good Times and Bad: Strengthening Your Relationship When the Going Gets Tough and the Money Gets Tight wins a prize for longest title ever. It’s also a sensible approach to dealing with and talking through relationship stress caused by money.
In three parts, 12 chapters and 260 pages, authors and spouses M. Gary Neuman and Melisa Neuman mix lessons with anecdotes from years of counseling patients. The book offers tips for how to talk to your kids about money, exercises to discover how you relate to money, and steps to talk through fights about finances.
The Neumans offer this six-step process to solving problems:
1. Discuss how you wish things had turned out.
2. Outline the way you wanted to reach your goal.
3. Talk only about what your goal is.
4. Explore every other possible way to reach this goal than the way you’ve been trying.
5. Decide whcih new, creative paths seem most likely to get you to this goal.
6. Begin putting all your energy into that new path while keeping yourself open to every other path that could get you to your goal.
Sounds like good advice! Leave a comment on this post by Thursday night to win my review copy. Or buy the book for $18.68 from Amazon.
This post is brought to you by ShoebuyCoupon.net, one woman’s personal attempt to track down every last ShoeBuy coupon available.
READER GIVEAWAY!!! Here’s how to get a $10 gift card to Shoebuy.com, an online shoe retailer that has free shipping, no tax, and free returns and exchanges. Plus, you’ll also have a chance to win a $100 gift card from the site.
1. Login to Twitter and follow @shoebuy and @bargainbabe
2. RT my Twitter message: “I hope @bargainbabe picks me to win a $100 gift card from @shoebuy” between 10 and noon PST (that’s 1-3pm EST) TODAY, Oct. 27, 2009.
Just for RT’ing my message you’ll get a $10 gift card to Shoebuy.com. I’ll pick one person to win the $100 gift card. Got it? Shoes!!!
Get 80 percent off a $25 gift certificate to your favorite restaurant through Restaurant.com. The certs are usually discounted to $10, so this makes them $2 each. Use coupon code TREATS, good through Oct. 31, 2009.
Get 40 percent off the list price of DVD box sets at Borders with this coupon. Good online with code BBX6777B. Expires Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009.
Get 20 percent off any single clothing item at Victoria’s Secret with coupon code 20ITEM. Good through Oct. 28, 2009. Or get $15 off a purchase of $100, $30 off $150, $75 off $250 or $150 off $500 with code FALL09, good through Nov. 18, 2009. I’d hold off for a bigger discount.
Here are 11 more ideas for frugal, DIY Halloween costumes, courtesy of the Coupon Sherpa blog. I picked the best ideas from their list of 50 do-it-yourself costume ideas. All very frugal!
3. The Nerd: Some can go from work to Halloween parties without a change of clothes, but for non-nerds, pair high-water pants, a short-sleeved dress shirt buttoned to the top with pens in the pocket and appropriate ink stains. Take the nose and mustache off a set of Groucho glasses and you’ve completed the look.
6. Ugly Betty is a good option for ladies not interested in a sexy look: Heavy framed glasses are required but a Sears poncho is optional.
8. Mortgage-backed Security: Financial whizzes need only wrap a lightweight dollhouse in chains or ropes to make this costume work. Pair a business suit with a briefcase and strap the house to your back. For an added touch, paint your face black and blue.
12. Corporate CEO: You’ll need a decent suit for this one, but what really makes this costume work is the golden parachute, made by spray painting a bed sheet gold and allowing it to peak out of a backpack. You can stuff fake bills in your pockets but be prepared to lose them over the evening to costumed Job Seekers.
21. Lamp: Top an all-black ensemble with a large lampshade and you’ll light-up the party.
26. Windblown (for females): Braid your hair with wire so it sticks out in one direction and glue the wire to a scarf. Wrap the scarf around your neck and extend it in the same direction as your hair. Poke the wire through the hem of a skirt and bend it in the same direction as the hair and scarf. For added affect, walk at an angle.
28. Work of Art: This couldn’t be easier: Hang a large picture frame around your neck. If you want to make it complicated, consider dressing up as a specific work of art, such as the Mona Lisa or a Van Gogh self-portrait.
31. Babysitter: Strap a baby doll to your rear end and sit on it. Sick, but easy.
35. Melted Snow Man: Douse yourself in water and carry a scarf, carrot and two sticks. Repeat soaking yourself throughout the night.
36. Hole-in-one: Golfers will love this easy costume. Just cut a large numeral 1 out of a piece of cardboard and cut a hole in the middle of the 1. Attach the cardboard to your chest and let them guess.
42. Blackmail: Wear all black and glue postage stamps to your chest.
Still looking? Check out Coupon Sherpa’s other 39 ideas.
Related:
Halloween bargains at the 99 Cent Store
Reader ideas for frugal Halloween costumes
Congrats to Sharon, Karis and Amy, new and long time readers of BargainBabe.com, who won prizes in the latest reader giveaway on BargainBabe.com!
Everyone who signed up for my daily or weekly e-newsletter by Oct. 21, 2009 was automatically entered to join. Stay tuned for another giveaway next month!
Sharon won the Xbox 360, donated generously by Savings.com. Yowza I hope you have fun with this Sharon!
Karis won a $50 gift card to Amazon.com and Amy won a fabulous hot pink Bargain Babe T-shirt. Thanks to everyone for participating!
~ Julia
aka Bargain Babe
I had quite an adventure at Rite Aid this weekend. I clipped hundreds – I’m serious, hundreds! – of coupons from the Sunday newspapers from the past few weeks then cross-referenced my coupons with what was listed on sale in the weekly flyer. Made a list and headed to the store. I was worried that one of three terrible things would happen:
1. The prices would be higher than advertised.
2. They would be sold out of the products I had coupons for.
3. The cashier would be upset I was using so many coupons!
Turns out none of these things happened. I ended up getting $40.52 worth of stuff for $16.41 including tax. That’s a 60 percent discount! And yes, I bought stuff I wanted/needed.
Here’s what I bought (shown above) and with what coupons:
2 boxes of Quakers Chewy Granola bars, normally $3.59 on sale for 2/$4 + $1 off coupon = final price $1.50/box
2 Peanut M&M bags with 8 mini-packs, normally $1.89 on sale for $.88 each + $1 off coupon = final price $.38 each
1 bottle Vaseline Sheer Infusion mosturizer, normally $6.99 on sale for $4.99 + a $4 mail-in rebate and a $1 off coupon = FREE
1 stick Sure for men deodorant, normally $3.29 on sale for $1.99 + a $1.50 off coupon = final price $.49
1 CoverGirl Professional all-in-one mascara, $5.30 + $1 off coupon = $4.30 (not the best deal but I really needed new mascara, unfortunately)
2 Revlon ColorStay 12-hour eye shadow, normally $6.99 each on sale buy one get one free + a $1 off coupon = $3 each
Total: $18.53 + $1.88 in tax – $4 mail-in rebate = $16.41
I’m going to be blogging a lot more about coupons as part of an exciting new development on BargainBabe.com. More details about this announcement soon!
