Meet Me at McGillin’s

A happy coincidence – New Year’s Eve this year will coincide with the 150th anniversary of McGillin’s Olde Ale House – and that translates into a fun, affordable celebration this year.

To start the party – and their anniversary year – off right, the good folks at McGillin’s are serving up open a limited quantity of its very own beer, McGillin’s 1860 IPA. They’re also resolved to serve 150 brands of beer in the new year, so stop in between the comics and the string bands to make a dent or two in that number.

Can’t make it this week? Well, the celebrating will be going on all year, so check out their site and follow ‘em on Twitter or Facebook.

Beauty on the Cheap: Free Make-Up Sample

Okay, I’m not much of a make-up person. (My attempts at “high glam” come off as “Happy the Clown,” so I stuck with the natural look.) But I love Bare Escentuals, with their simple application process, their natural coverage (no more clown face!) and the lightness of their foundation – no heavy mask feel! And for a limited time (until they run out, natch), you can pick up a free sample of bareMinerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation & a free brush. It’s a cheap way to try out their make-up – or to stock up before your tan fades and you really need it!

Of course, there’s a catch – you can’t use this offer online. So head on over to a BareEscentuals boutique and put your best face forward! Click here to find a location in our area.

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!

Summer Reading: Free Harlequin E-Books

Hey, how can you beat reading material as hot and heavy as an August day at the shore? Make it free, that’s how!

If you just love a steamy romance, the kind with a lot of heavy breathing and fervent glances and flushed checks, the kind with a woman in a tight corset embracing Fabio on the cover, then this is the deal for you.

Harlequin, the queen bee of the genre, is celebrating 60 years of romance by sharing 16 different e-books with its readers – absolutely free! Check out the list here, then download your favorite titles – or all of them – for a great summer read.

80% Code for Restaurant.com

Found this great bargain on our national site, CitiesOnTheCheap. You guys should check them out regularly for bargains galore:

“This week, Restaurant.com’s cheap discount certificates get even cheaper. Through Friday, July 31, you can save 80% on the purchase price of Restaurant.com certificates. What does that mean for you? A $25 certificate regularly sells for $10. After the discount, you can get the $25 gift certificate for just $2. The $10 certificate is just $0.60–you can’t beat that price. Just use promo code “NAPKIN” to get the deal.

You’ll find a variety of deals on Restaurant.com: $25 certificates for $10, $10 certificates for $3, and more. All of the vendors apply their own restrictions to each certificate’s redemption, so read the fine print before you check out to make sure it’ll be a good deal for you.”

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 Pastry Tomorrow At Starbucks

You are cordially invited to enjoy a free pastry tomorrow at Starbucks – as long as you buy a beverage to go with it.

Just take this invitation to your nearest highbrow coffee shop, fork over a couple of bucks for a mocha grande (or whatever it is you drink in the morning) and your scone, muffin or danish is absolutely free. (We have no idea why Starbucks calls it an “invitation” when the rest of the world calls it a “coupon,” but free is free, people!)

You’ll have to hurry in, though….this deal expires at 10:30 am tomorrow. So set your alarm for this one!

Read All About It – Free Books from Random

Wanna read a book hot off the presses? Wanna read it for free? Well, then, check out the “Read it forward” program, offered by Random House (Crown Publishing division). The publisher is giving away copies of three new titles – complete with author signatures! To get yours, use this link to request one via email .

Current selections include:

• Something Missing by Matthew Dicks
• The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha
• Where the River Ends by Charles Martin

Just one per email address, please. After all, we’re bookworms – not freebie hogs!

I Scream, You Scream…Ice Cream Festival 7/3-7/5

My family looks forward to this one all year….starting at noon today, the eleventh annual Super Scooper Ice Cream Festival will be held at Penn’s Landing.  For a mere $5, you get a spoon and access to all the ice cream and water ice you could possibly want, served up by over 20 different companies including Breyers, Good Humor, Ben & Jerry’s, Starbucks and Turkey Hill. Heck, Mr. Softee even shows up for this one!

And while you’re snacking on your summertime favorite, you’ll be helping lick leukemia. All net proceeds from the event will benefit the Children’s Hospital Oncolology Division and the Joshua Kahan Fund, which aims to raise awareness and funds for pediatric leukemia research.

The event isn’t just a fundraiser, or a cheap way to fill up on great ice cream. It’s also held to honor the spirit of Josh Kahan, a little boy who lost his five-month battle with AML leukemia in September 1997.  Joshua’s short life proved it takes more than courage or spirit to lick leukemia…it takes research to battle this disease, and research takes money. So why not get in on the sweetest way to make the dream of licking leukemia come true?

Hope to see you there….just remember, don’t toss your spoon!