McPrior / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
You’re in the office and your tummy starts grumbling. You have many options for lunch but which one is best for your wallet? Options include eating out, brown bagging and re-heating a frozen entree.
Eating Out
Pros: This option is convenient and depending on where you work, you have an array of foods at your fingertips. There is no need to pack a lunch the night before or wake up extra early to prepare something. Eating out with coworkers can be a bonding experience and if you can chose the eatery, you can make sure you have an Entertainment Book coupon. Cons: This can quickly become an expensive habit if you don’t find deals for eating out. If you stick to dollar menus to minimize the cost, your waistline and health may take a toll. Cost: $10 per meal x 5 days a week = $50 per week
Brown Bagging
Pros: Keep an eye on your wallet and your waistline with this option. Brown Bagging can be more environmental if you use a reusable lunch bag, bring utensils from home instead of using disposables and pack a reusable water bottle. Being your own chef allows creative meal planning, especially if you use a multi-compartment easy lunch box. Re-heat dinner leftovers for a tasty meal. You can eat quickly at your desk or find a nearby park. Brown Bagging is nearly as fun as eating out with a favorite co-worker. Cons: It gets boring fast if you stick to the same meals and requires advance planning. Cost: $2.60 for a sandwich + .40 for baby carrots or fruit slices = $3 x 5 days a week = $15
Frozen Entrees
Pros: Prepackaged foods are very convenient and easy to grab on your way out the door in the morning when you’re in a hurry. You can stock up when they go on sale and keep them for weeks in the freezer. You can eat quickly at your desk. TV dinners used to have a bad rap for being unhealthy but there are now healthy options. Cons: Many TV dinner are loaded with salt and lack fiber and vitamins, taking a toll on your health over time. Portions are often so small you head to the candy machine for an afternoon snack. Cost: The entrees cost around $5 and sometimes cheaper when you can find coupons. $5 x 5 days a week = $25
Eating out costs significantly more than brown bagging or relying on frozen meals, but also takes a lot more time. What’s your frugal lunchtime option?
Michiel Van Balen/Flickr
Staples - Get a free backpack while supplies last.
Back to school deals - Here are all the back to school deals and freebies I found this week. Got any to add?
Borders – Here is a Borders coupon for 33% off most items, including online purchases. Expires July 29, 2010.
Hotel deal - Get a cheap hotel stay at Red Roof (15% 0ff) when you stay three nights, or two if you are military personnel.
Check out all the coupons and deals I share on my WalletPop blog.
Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake
Sirius - get a free 30-day satellite radio trial and access dozens of channels.
Cheesecake Factory – Put Friday, July 30, 2010 on your calender. That’s when cheesecake slices are half off in celebration of National Cheesecake Day. Snag this coupon to get a slice a day early for just $1.50!
Staples – Here are three Staples coupons for $5 to $50 off that can be used on most anything in the store, including computers. Expires Saturday, July 24, 2010.
Vista Print – Get 250 free business cards from Vista Print when you foot the shipping, about $5.
The Limited - Stroll into The Limited and pick up a $10 Fashion Pass that can be used on most items in the store. Cha-ching!
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
Robert Banh/Flickr
Through Tuesday, June 29, 2010, Old Navy is having a sale with everything in stores and online 30% off.
Kids eat free at Ikea through July 5, 2010
Get a free sample of Avril Lavigne’s new perfume, which isn’t in stores until August.
Do you live near an Ace Hardware? They are refilling printer ink cartridges for free! Check your local store for specific days.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
Tired of Office Depot and Staples? Capital Office Products is a family-owned business that guarantees their prices for office supplies cost less than national chains, including up to 50% off toner cartridges.
But national chains have better prices because they are so big, right? Not always. Small businesses have less overhead. You aren’t going to see a Nascar Capital Office Product Car. Instead, owner Carolyn and her staff win over clients one by one by personally introducing themselves. Small companies like Capital Office Products are harder to find because they don’t have huge advertising budgets, but they are worth checking out.
One of the ways Capital Office Products helps you save money is through personal service. They actually prefer to take your order by phone or email! When you call, you get to speak to the same person every time. When you are looking for a product, they suggest alternatives to lower your bill. Capital Office Products sells a generic brand of toner, which is one of their specialties, that costs about half of what brand names like HP cost. Bet a national chain wouldn’t point that out to you!
This isn’t your typical mom-and-pop business. Capital Office Products has 40,000 items in their online inventory and and 25,000 items in their catalog. You aren’t going to miss out on rebates or special offers, either. Capital Office Products has an entire page devoted to rebates and specials.
Capital Office Products is based in Sylmar, CA. They offer super-speedy service to the greater Los Angeles market and ship nationwide. Spend just $40 and get free delivery to your business! Place your order by calling 818-362-4156 or by emailing carolynnelson77@hotmail.com.
This is paid content. Interested in buying an ad? Read my Advertise page.
KOMUnews/Flickr
Does your business have a sale coming up? Share it on my do it yourself Los Angeles deal site, BargainBabeLA.com. If you saw a deal driving home from work, share it so others can benefit.
Get a free pilates session when you check out Elizabeth Fowler’s art showing at her pilates studio in Santa Monica. Remember to introduce yourself and ask about scheduling a free session.
Through May 5 get a free bra at Soma when you spend $50 at the new Glendale store.
Get a $1 ream of Hammermill paper at Staples through May 22 when you fill out a $5.50 rebate.
Here’s another Staples deal. Buy $10 worth of Duracell batteries and get a $10 Staples reward good toward a future purchase.
The Warehouse denim sale comes to the LA Convention Center today through Sunday. The sale is known for discounts on premium jean and denim brand names.
This Borders coupon will get you 33% off the list price of any one item today and tomorrow, April 28, 2010.
Here is a Charlotte Russe coupon for 25% off in stores and online. Thank goodness for friends and family sales!
Take home free Fig Newtons, Pantene hair products for $1 each and other deals when you combine coupons with sales at CVS.
Through May 2, you can get 25% off plus free shipping using this Coldwater Creek coupon.
Sign up for a free sample of Caress soap and in 6-8 weeks a 2-ounce sample will arrive.
Get 20% off your next kids purchase using this H&M coupon for anyone who donates gently-used kids clothes.
Vista Print’s offer for free address labels has returned for a limited time! Shipping is $3.12-$3.67.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog. Later today there will be a new Restaurant.com coupon code for 80% off!
woodleywonderworks/Flickr
Happy Earth Day! Whether or not you recognize this holiday, you should check out the amazing (if I do say so myself) list of Earth Day freebies and deals I compiled on my WalletPop blog. A sneak peak:
- $1 ink cartridge refills today only at Walgreens!
- free baseball caps at the Disney Store
- 22-33% off earth-friendly brands and products at Walgreens
- $8 off coupons for Alicia Silverstone’s EcoTools beauty product line
- free entrance to our National Parks this week
Read all the Earth Day freebies and deals here.
cpchannel/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Chances are you are paying WAY too much for your printer ink. It doesn’t matter if you are using an ink jet or toner cartridge. All store bought brand-name ink cartridges are insanely overpriced. I can’t believe how much I used to pay for my printer ink. What a rip-off! The only reason that companies get away with continuing to convince consumers to overpay for their product is fear.
I’m sure you have read, heard or been told that if you use off brand ink in your printer that you will void your warranty. But according to Jeff Bertolucci at PC World, third party printer ink cartridges are as good or better than the original equipment manufacturer ink. “Our tests show that all of the third-party inks in our test group yielded more prints per cartridge–on top of costing less–but that, with some notable exceptions, the printer manufacturers’ ink we evaluated usually produced better-quality prints and proved more resistant to fading,” Jeff’s story said.
There are lots of companies that sell discount ink cartridges – sometimes at 50% of the manufacturer’s price. My favorite is Abacus 24-7. Their inks have always been super cheap and reliable. Another source of discounted products, including printer ink, is Deal Extreme. I have not used their inks, so I can’t vouch for them.
Now, here is the neat bargain trick. Instead of paying $15 or more for a cartridge, I buy drastically reduced-priced third party ink cartridges and when it is empty, I take it into Staples for a $3 per cartridge rebate that you can use towards your next Staples purchase. This can result in a profit.
That, my friends, is how great bargainistas think.
What is your favorite way to reduce ink/toner costs?
Get 15% off at Kohl’s through Sunday, April 11, 2010.
Get a free ream of paper at Staples through Saturday, April 10 with this printable coupon.
Get free entry into all 392 of our National Parks during National Park Week, April 17-25, 2010.
Join the TCBY email list and get a coupon for a free frozen yogurt waffle cone.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
Get a free DVD rental from any Redbox at a Kroger grocery store. The expiration date is unknown so don’t delay.
Get 30% off tax software at H&R Block. And remember, the basic version is free!
Check out all the deals and coupons on my WalletPop blog. Later today there will be a 15% off coupon for Kohl’s and a coupon for a free ream of paper at Staples.
Get a massive restaurant discount with an 80% off deal from Restaurant.com. Pretty sweet!
Get a free soap sample of Lever 2000 from Costco, even if you’re not a member.
This Staples coupon gets you 15 percent off almost everything in the store. Valid through Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Thanks Tina and Su May!
Who cars if winter is almost over? (The first day of spring is Saturday.) Get a free subscription (12 issues) to Ski Magazine.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
PinkMoose/Flickr
Reader Marie just sent in this tip:
PAPER FOR LESS AT STAPLES STORES!
Staples is offering a case of 8-1/2″ x 11″ Multipurpose Paper at a special price. Regular price is $42.99, but with a $4 instant savings you pay $38.99.
However, sign up as a Rewards Member at http://www.staplesrewardscenter.com/ in order to get 50 percent back in Staples Rewards, which is like getting it for $19.49. If you order $50 or more online, you get FREE DELIVERY.
Offer ends March 20, 2010. Valid online, in store and by phone.
Plus, you can save another 2 percent if you shop through eBates.com.
TODAY ONLY FROM 4-7 p.m. get a free peach tea drink at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (not as pictured). No coupon needed, no purchase necessary. The freebie is 12-ounces. Valid only on Thursday, March 4, 2010.
Free address labels! This deal is for 140 labels through Vista Print, which charges you $3-5 for shipping. Not too bad!
Nab a free sample of the vitamin-packed powder packets known as Emergen-C, which has recently added four flavors.
If you don’t clip coupons, how are you going to get free tomato paste and Tylenol PM this week?
It doesn’t get much better than free candy, so check out this buy-one-get-one free candy coupon for Skittles and Starbursts.
Here’s another free sample, this this for PowerBar Gel Blasts, which give you an energy boost on long workouts.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
Ben & Jerry’s is selling scoops of Blond Maple for $1 today in honor of Olympic Hannah Teter. (A different flavor is pictured at right.)
Through March 8, 2010 get 30 percent off at Borders with this coupon.
Snag a free $10 gift card to Bahama Breeze, a restaurant located in 12 states.
The magazine subscription sale at Amazon has a bunch of year-long subscriptions for $7, including Good Housekeeping, Nylon, Popular Mechanics, Smart Money, and Town & Country. There are also some great magazines for $10, like Seventeen and Entertainment Weekly.
Spring fashions are 20 percent off at Old Navy online through March 4, 2010. Get the coupon code.
Get a free Uni-Ball pen when you share a little info about yourself.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
