Local Coupons, Big Savings – thanks to Six

“Move closer to your world, my friend, take a little bit of time…”

Am I the only one who remembers the words of the old channel six Action News theme song? Well, okay then. My age is showing.

But even the older generation appreciates a bargain, and thanks to Channel Six and Action News, there are several to be had in the Delaware Valley area. Click on this link to find a bevy of clickable coupons from our favorite ABC affiliate, including a $10 off Sesame Place coupon and another that offers a free McCafe coffee at McDonalds when you purchase a sandwich. So move closer to your world, my friends, and have a a closer grip on your wallet, thanks to our buddies at Channel Six!

Eat It Up – Free Cereal Samples

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now, I’m no doctor so I can’t say if it’s so, but I do know one thing – at my house, breakfast is the longest meal of the day. My kids choose cereal for lunch, dinner, snacks and before bed, too. Hey, if it worked for Seinfeld…

So that’s why I was happy to see these offers. The good people at Cheerios are offering a free sample of their Honey Nut Cheerios and a $1 off coupon here. Honey Nut Cheerios, for those who haven’t been stung by the bee, are great tasting and good for you, as they help lower cholesterol. So check them out…for free! (And, since we’re already fans, I just picked up a really big box at Wal-Mart for under $4. Can’t wait to get that $1 off coupon!!)

For those of you with more exotic palates, Total is offering a free sample of their new blueberry pomegranete cereal if you sign up here.Now, we haven’t tried these, but knowing that just one bowl will provide 100 percent of the daily recommendation of at least 11 vitamins and minerals makes it worth a try. And you can’t beat the cost!

Garden Supplies on the Cheap

Well, the recession is costing us another one….all Smith and Hawken stores, including the four in the Philadelphia area, will be closed by the end of the year. And, though we hate to see any establishment close its doors, we have to point out that this means great bargains for the rest of us who can take advantage of their all-sales-final prices on lawn furniture, live plants and pagodas.

Right now, all furniture is slashed 40% off the original prices. Ditto the live plants, while the rest of the store is at least 20% off. These prices will undoubtedly plunge as the closing nears, but so will the selection. Get out there now for the best choices.

To find the nearest Smith and Hawkens, check the site here. Then head over and dig up your best buys, before the doors shut permanently.

Give and Get – 30% off Coupon for the Gap, Old Navy, More..

We all know it’s better to give than to receive. (Disclaimer: certain younger members of my household may beg to differ, but we all know, right?) But what about giving – AND receiving? That’s the best of both worlds!  (Shoot, I hate it when I quote Miley Cyrus. But I digress.)

From July 30 through August 2, bring in this multi-use coupon to any Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Gap Outlet or Banana Republic Factory store and they’ll give 5% of your purchase price to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. You’ll also get 30% off your purchases. How’s that for a great deal?

You can use the coupon over and over again, but only through Sunday. So pack up the kids and get some back-to-school shopping done on the cheap….and feel good about yourself in the process!

Free 60-Day Pass to BJ’s

I found this deal on the main web site of Cities On the Cheap…..check out this one, then click on the link above for a whole slew of nationwide deals!

“Unlike some of the free passes to warehouse clubs, this free 60-day pass to BJ’s Wholesale Club comes with no strings attached. Well, there is one string: You must activate the pass by July 6, 2009 to get the deal, but there’s no indication that you’ll be required to pay a 10% service fee at checkout during the trial period, which is common at other warehouse clubs. Test it out by stocking up for your 4th of July picnic on the cheap.”

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Day 10 – PJ’s from Hatley Nature

Give a gift that’s as cozy and as comfortable as mom is! Remember how mom used to tuck you in, read you a story, listen to your prayers and kiss you goodnight? Some of my fondest memories of my mom center on these bedtime rituals. So it just seems fitting that I recommend pajamas for mamas this Mother’s Day. But we’re not talking just any pajamas – we’re talking the cute, coy and comfy pj’s sold at Hatley Nature. The cute fitted or classic T’s – with sayings like “Bear-ly Sleeping” and “Dam Tired,” illustrated with the appropriate animal – are 100% cotton jersey, roomy and comfortable. And they pair up perfectly with the cotton jersey print sleep pants, each with a drawstring waist for ultimate comfort. As the weather gets warmer, mom may want to sleep in something cool – and what can be cooler than a tank and boxer combo? So cook up the breakfast in bed, then let mom lounge all day in a comfortable new sleep outfit. Prices range from $20 to $30 a piece, and you can catch some favorite pieces on sale for additional savings. So head over to Hatley and wish mom Happy Mother’s Day – and sweet dreams!

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Day 7 – Pretty In Pink Cookies

This Mother’s Day, give mom a gift as sweet as she is, and watch her crumble.

Remember way back, when you’d come home from school each day to find mom waiting, a plate full of freshly-baked cookies and a tall glass of cold milk in hand?

Okay, my mom had to work too. But that’s the way it always was for Wally and the Beav, and that’s the way we’d like to remember it, too. So maybe that’s why we always associate mom with cookies. After all, does any perfume smell as wonderful as pure vanilla extract?

But I digress. The point is that, besides the Cookie Monster, the person I most associate with cookies is mom. So it just seems logical to present mom with a lovely box of cookies for her special day. May we suggest the Pretty In Pink Box by Geoff and Drew’s? This luscious combination of four different cookies (White Chocolate Cranberry, Double Fudge, Oatmeal Raisin & Chocolate Chunk) is packaged along with four moist, decadent brownies (two chocolate chip and two toffee). And they come in a gorgeous pink box – no need for giftwrap.

The Pretty in Pink Box is available for only $20 at Chocolate.com, the sweetest place to shop for Mother’s Day.  Just add a glass of cold milk, and let mom see what a tasteful child she raised. She’ll eat it up!

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Day 4 -Goody Green Bag

Treat your mother – and Mother Earth – by bagging this great gift.

Hey, things are “going green” everywhere you turn. Why not help mom take a step in the greener direction by gifting her with a Goody Green Bag, the eco-friendly fashion-forward choice for today’s shoppers.

Sure, you could get a reusable bag at your local grocer – so why choose a Goody? Well, I can tell you first-hand that these bags are as adorable as they are functional.You can choose from a variety of fresh, fun patterns (my favorite is the green Planet Luv, but they’re all cute, so just pick one that suits your mom’s personality).

And here’s a plus – the bags fold down to the size of an envelope for easy storage and use. And, at just $8.95 a bag, they’re just as fitting for OnTheCheap readers as they are for the green movement. And they’re great for traveling too!

And talk about hip! These fab bags were chosen as the official celebrity gift bag for the 2008 American Music Awards, President Obama’s Celebrity & VIP Inauguration party, the 2009 Grammy “MusiCares” pre-party and the 2009 Oscars pre-party. Hey, you can’t beat those references – and the prices are hard to beat, too!

So head on over to the website and pick up a bag for mom (and a couple for yourself too!). Mom will thank you – and so will Mother Earth!

It’s Strawberry Season at Peddler’s Village

Looking for a way to enjoy the warmer weather this weekend? Look no further than Lahaska, where the 40th annual Strawberry Festival is being celebrated at Peddler’s Village.

Juried artisans will be demonstrating their skills and peddling their wares at the festival – but of course, the real stars are the strawberries, freshly-picked, juicy and delicious. Get them dipped in chocolate, served in pastries or take home some jam….or just grab yourself a sweet fistful for fresh nibbling. Umm, this tastes like summer to us!

Strawberry Fields may be forever, but the festival is just two days – May 2 and 3. Free admission and free parking – and all those berries – make this the sweetest deal of the weekend.

Mother’s Day Gift Giving Guide: Day 1 – The Giftybox

Experience Counts, So Give One To Mom!

You know, there comes a point in your life when you have all the stuff you need. And even though you appreciate all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years, what you’d really like for Mother’s Day is a new experience. C’mon, ‘fess up, you know it’s true! And that’s where the Giftybox comes in. Giftybox allows you to give the ultimate gift of experience – and allows your mom to custom tailor the experience to be just what she wants.

Here’s how the whole thing works:

As the buyer (and soon to be mom’s favorite child), you pick the theme you want to give based on what you know mom would like. The choices rang from a winery tour and tasting to pampering at a spa and from massages to whitewater rafting. Just choose the experience you want mom to have, and send her a Giftybox guidebook of all the options in the theme you picked. Then mom can choose the specific activity, time and place she wants (including plenty of choices in our area – see here for details )….so you can give her an experience without ruining her schedule. (If you’re a mom, you know how important flexibility can be!)

This is the best way to give the gift of memory-making we’ve seen. And, though it may sound like an expensive gift, the prices are decidedly budget-minded: just $59 for the Winery Tour and Tasting for two, $49 for a variety of choices in the Classes Box, and $89 for an Adventure Box or a Spa and Well-Being Box.

That’s a smart buy (and mom always said you were the smart one!).