Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
These deals require coupons and/or mail-in rebates.
CVS - Highlights include free Blink Gel Tears Lubricating Eye Drops .34 oz, free Crest Pro Health Complete Rinse (16.9 oz), Paste (4 oz), or Floss (38.2 yds), Mitchum Deodorant for as little as $1, and Gillette Fusino ProGlide Razor for as little as $.97. Get the coupon match ups and read more CVS deals on BargainBriana.
Walgreens – Highlights include Ben N Jerry’s or Starbucks ice cream as low as $1.79 for two after coupons, Kettle Chips for $0.50 after coupon, and free Listerine Zero. Get the coupon match ups and read more Walgreens deals on CommonSenseWithMoney.
Rite Aid – Highlights include free ArthArrest Topical Analgesic Lotion, free Backaid (28-ct), and Chestal Honey Cough Syrup for $.99. Get the coupon match ups and read more Rite Aid deals on CouponCravings.
New to coupons? Check out my post on coupon clipping basics. If you want to take advantage of these deals, make sure to save the coupon inserts you receive in the mail or with your Sunday newspaper. Here’s a great suggestion for how to handle coupon organization.
Bryce Canyon by Alaskan Dude/Flickr
A lot of people asked for more suggestions for free, fun things to do as part of my reader contest to win $249 worth of swag. Here is one idea: this weekend, August 14-15, 2010 entrance to more than 100 National Parks is free. Click on the above link for a listing of participating parks by state or name.
The list includes Grand Canyon National Park, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National Park, Everglades National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Acadia National Park, Glacier National Park, Big Bend National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park. Many of these are on my list of places to visit!
The freebie covers entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. You still have to pay other fees, like for reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties. I’m guessing this last part includes things like maps at the ranger station or firewood. At six of the parks, concessioners selling food, transportation, lodging and tours are offering discounts and coupons.
If you want to camp for free, there are tons of places where you can pitch a tent for no charge across the country, including BLM land, Wilderness Areas, and National Forests. I’m going camping in October and can’t wait!
Upcoming admission-free days at our National Parks:
- September 25, 2010
(Public Lands Day) - November 11, 2010
(Veterans Day)
If you are looking for fun things to do closer to home, check out this post on free and very cheap dates. If you live in Los Angeles or are visiting, make sure to get free tickets to the taping of a television show. Get behind the scenes and gape at your favorite stars. Lastly, check out these five ways to get free or cheap tickets to the theater.
Contents of the prize swag bag!
Don’t forget to enter the latest BargainBabe.com reader giveaway to win my BlogHer swag bag, filled with beauty supplies, coupons, and treats worth $249. Everything in the bag, which weighs 10 pounds, is pictured here. The blurry picture (thanks, iPhone) makes it hard to tell what each item is, but the link below has a detailed listing of everything in the bag and it’s approximate value.
Click to enter the contest by Thursday August 12 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Little Apple Wooden Puzzle
If you “like” the BargainBabe.com Facebook page, you probably already saw these deals that I shared over the weekend. If not, there’s no time like the present to become a fan!
Coupon clutch – Get 10% off your next order from CouponCluch.com with coupon code BlogHer10. Expires Dec. 31, 2010.
Free gum - Just got an awesome free sample in my BlogHer swag bag with coupon for free Extra dessert gum. Use coupon code 353637. Unclear how long this deal will last.
1800Flowers – Get 15% off at 1800flowers.com with coupon code BLOGHER. Expires Aug. 20, 2010.
Wooden puzzles – Get 35% off any one order at Little Apple Wooden Puzzles with coupon code BLOGHER10. Expires Oct. 15, 2010.
OpenSky – Get 25% off at OpenSky with coupon code Party25. Ongoing.
Hallmark – Get 20% off holiday cards from Hallmark.com with coupon code BLOGHER20. Expires Dec. 31, 2010.
Payless – Get $5 off $25 at Payless with coupon code 37544. Expires Sept. 6, 2010. Shoes!
Amazon.com
Magazine sale – Amazon’s mondo magazine sale offers two year subscriptions to dozens of mags for the price of a one year subscription. Esquire, Seventeen and American Cowboy are all on sale.
Free sample – Get a free sample of Dove conditioner that claims to repair damaged hair. Available for a limited time!
More free samples – Freeflys is offering free samples of oatmeal, lotion, cologne and sport vitamins. You have to jump through a bunch of hoops, however.
Check out the latest coupons and deals this afternoon on my WalletPop blog. More deals coming later today.
Free laundry sheets - If you “like” my BargainBabe.com Facebook page you already saw this deal for a free sample of Purex Laundry Sheets. Not sure how much longer it will be around!
More free samples – Get free dog treats, a free issue of a baby magazine, and free saline nose wipes.
Ben & Jerry’s – Sign up for their ChunkMail and you’ll get a free ice cream coupon on your birthday, plus a buy one get one free coupon on your half birthday.
Pinkberry – The Pinkerry deal for 50% off during happy hour (5-7 p.m. daily) on their tasty summer watermelon flavor ends August 8, 2010. What will their fall flavor be?
Check out the latest coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog this afternoon.
Entertainment books – New contest! 25 random winners will win two 2010 Entertainment Books of their choosing. Like the BargainBabe.com and Lozo page on Facebook to enter. If you’re not on Facebook, this is a good reason to join!
Free tote – Get a free tote if you are a woman fighting cancer.
White Castle - Here is a White Castle coupon for a buy one get one free Saver Sacks.
McAlister’s – Today only! If you live near a McAlister’s Deli, head on over for a free sweet iced tea.
Free apps – Coupon Cravings has a neat list of the top 30 money saving iPhone apps.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
I’ve gotten free subscriptions to OK! and Forbes by paying close attention to special offers and particular websites. This video has my best tips for getting free mags.
Kmart has donated a ton of camping gear for my latest reader giveaway. Camping is one of my favorite frugal vacations – did you know there are many places you can camp for free?!
To win, do two things. Join my BargainBabe.com Facebook page and leave a comment answering this question: How do you get ready for the great outdoors?
The contest ends Tuesday, July 27 at 9 a.m. PST.
One winner will take home:
- A $50 Kmart gift card
- A Northwest Territory 18×10 Dome tent, above, that sleeps 8 and has a rear storage locker with flap (orig. $230)
- Two Northwest Territory Big Boy Mesh Chairs, which each have two drink holders (orig. $27 each)
- Two Northwest Territory Hot Hood Sleeping Bags, which each come with a fleece pillow (orig. $25 each)
- A 4D LED Rugged Rechargeable Battery Lantern, right, that has a “lifetime” bulb that never needs to be replaced. The lantern has three settings and includes a 6V XPS rechargeable cartridge, 120v adapter for home, and a 12v adapter for car or boat (orig. $40)
- A Coleman Perfectflow portable grill with a 11,000-BTU tube burner and a 200-square inch cooking surface (orig. $70)
The camping gear will be shipped directly to the winner. Colors may vary.
If you put July 22-24, 2010 on your calender to get a free taste of McDonald’s new smoothie, I hope you wrote it in pencil. The deal has been canceled for fears of running out of smoothies and engaging freebie lovers. Click on the link for more details.
Expires today! Get a free lunch at Panda Express today only! Expires Wednesday, July 14, 2010.
Staples has two coupons for $5 off $30 and $50 off a new computer.
Get a free coffee at Borders when you download their eBook readers to your smartphone or laptop.
Expires today! Get a free movie rental from a Blockbuster Kiosk when you rent one. Expires July 14, 2010.
Check back every hour or so for new coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
I recently filmed a short video for WalletPop.com about where to find the best freebies online. Click on the video below to watch.
Use this Old Navy coupon code is 15% off online through July 18, 2010.
On July 11, 2010 7-Eleven is giving away free Slurpees to celebrate their birthday!
Three new Borders coupons give you 33-50% off. Expires July 12, 2010.
Get a free magazine subscription to Woman’s Day when you share a little info about yourself.
Expires soon! Ziplock is giving away 10,000 sets of free Ziplock products likes sandwich bags, storage bags, and containers. Don’t wait because this one is going to run out fast!
Here is a hot Jamba Juice coupon valid only in California for a buy one drink get a second drink free. Coldbuster, please! Expires July 31, 2010.
Today only! Walk into Chick-fil-A dressed like a cow today, July 9, 2010, and get an entire meal on the house. Moooooo.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
goodrob13/Flickr.
Do you yearn to be a screaming audience member on The Price is Right or a cheering fan on the Tonight show? Do you dream of watching your favorite star being filmed on-set? With some pre-planning, patience and luck, these experiences can be yours – for free.
As hard as it is to believe, television studios have to work to fill their audiences each time they shoot. It’s not just a matter of opening their front door and letting any old riff-raff in. There are dress codes and rules. Doling out coveted set passes sucks up staff time and energy. For many (but not all) shows, this coordination is too much trouble so television show turns the duty over to a company that specializes in finding audiences.
Here are some ways to get in to the shows you want to see:
- For free tickets for Two and a Half Men, Wizards of Waverly Place, Melissa and Joey, I’m in the Band and more, try Audiences Unlimited, Inc.
- If you are a Jimmy Kimmel Live! fan, you can get tickets online or call 866-546-6984 (weekdays from 1-4 p.m. PST).
- American Idol, Hannah Montana, So You Think You Can Dance?, and Dancing with the Stars tickets can be obtained through On Camera Audiences.
- Your dream to be on a game show can come true at game show contestant submissions or go to any of the major TV network’s websites and look for a “casting” link.
- The Tonight Show tickets are distributed at the studio’s ticket window the day of taping or by mail. Write to 3000 W. Alameda Ave, Los Angeles, CA 91523 or call 818-840-3537.
- Saturday Night Live tickets are distributed by lottery.
- And last, but not least… if you are just dying to be seen on television wearing a hula outfit and scuba gear holding a sign saying “I love Drew Carey” then you are destined to be on The Price is Right.
Going to the taping of a TV show is an impressive first date (if the show is your date’s favorite), a frugal and memorable vacation event, or an educational field trip. There is a LOT more going on off the screen than most people know.
I’ve seen some really cool shows with my friends and family using some of these links.
Have you ever gone to the taping of a TV show? Was it fun?
Print out this Quiznos coupon for a free fountain drink and bag of chips with sandwich purchase. Expires July 5, 2010.
Here is an Ulta beauty coupon for 20% off any one item and/or free shipping on all Philosophy products. Expires July 3, 2010.
Expires tomorrow! Get 20% off at CVS.com sitewide through Wednesday, June 30, 2010.
There are a bunch of freebies at Walgreens this week if you clip coupons. What great motivation!
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
