More free entertainment, courtesy of Bank of America

To go along with my museum post the other day, I just found out about a program from Bank of America for its card holders called Museums on Us(R). Basically, your B of A ATM, credit or check card is your FREE pass to select museums, zoos, science centers, botanical gardens and more on the first full weekend of every month.

Click here for details and to find participating locations.

Pass the chickpeas, please

I was listening to NPR on the way home from work today and heard a great story that is part of a series called the "How Low Can You Go" family supper challenge. Basically, they are asking some of the country's best chefs to come up with a menu to feed a family of 4 -- but the total cost has to be less than $10. 

Today's meal was Chef Jose Andres' Moorish-style chickpea and spinach stew, or, in Spanish, garbanzos con espinacas. And it sounds (and looks) delicious! Click here to read the story and get the recipe. 

Movie Monday

Happy Monday, everyone! Enjoy a FREE movie rental tonight from your friends at redbox with code 4CW33N. As usual, it expires at midnight tonight.

Walgreens: What I Scored at Lunch

As is my usual routine, I checked out the Walgreens flyer online and matched up sale items with coupons that I had and came up with some really good deals. A quick trip on my lunch hour, and now I'm back with a bag full of useful items and only a small dent in my wallet.

Here's what I got:

• Mitchum deodorant: on sale for $2.99, BUT also prints out a coupon for $2 off your next visit. So, that means I got it for $.99.
• Dawn dish soap: reg. $1.99; down to $.99 with Walgreens coupon, PLUS I had a coupon for $.25, so got 2 for $.74/ea.
• Bic Comfort 3 razors, 4-pack: on sale for $4.99; down to $3.99 with Walgreens Easy Saver $1 coupon, PLUS I had a coupon for $2, so got for $1.99.
• Reach dental floss: reg. $1.99; down to $.99 with Walgreens coupon, PLUS I had a coupon for $.50, so got 3 for $.49/ea.
• Edge shaving gel: on sale for $2.99, BUT also prints out a coupon for $3 off your next visit. So, that means I got it for FREE. F-R-E-E.
• Walgreens brand pain relievers: on sale for 4 for $4

Plus I got some cookies for $.99 because a girl has to have a treat every now and then.
So, all in all, I spent $16.56 and got $5 in "register receipts", which are just like cash, to use on my next transaction. Not a bad haul for roughly 12 bucks!

Free Day at the Museum

I just returned from a lovely long lunch at the Blanton Museum with my friend Meredith. What a nice way to enjoy a meal and some art with a friend, escape work and take my mind off this crazy economy.

And get this...Thursdays are free admission days at the museum. I encourage all my Austin friends to take advantage of this great deal.

And if you are lucky enough to live in/near New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles or San Francisco, check out this cool calendar that lists all the free days at museums in those cities.

For those of you elswhere, be sure to check with your local museums for similar offers. Go see art!!

Oprah Wants to Hook You Up

Enter this sweepstakes today for a chance to win 1 of 4,000 reusable tote bags full of great products, courtesy of O! Magazine.

I have to say that I entered a similar giveaway that she was offering last year and was blown away by what arrived -- full-size samples of some great products in a really cool collapsible tote bag that I now use all the time. All free. Thanks, Oprah!

Movie Monday: Today's redbox Code

Today's redbox code for a FREE rental is M6FR97. It expires at midnight CST. Happy watching!

Joyce!

Here's a great coupon primer, and an inspirational story of a woman who is saving lots of money and helping others do the same. Case in point: she bought $70 worth of groceries for $11, using coupons. Go, Joyce!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Ready, Set, HELP!

I just finished reading the Capital Area Food Bank's newsletter and I am so inspired and impressed. This agency, through its work with 355 partner agencies, provides healthy meals to approximately 300,000 hungry or "food insecure" Texans.

Did you know...

• Nearly one in five adults and one in four children in Texas are food insecure?
• 41,000 children under the age of 18 in Travis County are confronted with food insecurity every day?
• 82% of Food Bank Partner Agency recipients are food insecure and 49% of recipients experience outright hunger?
• 61% of Austin Independent School District (AISD) students are eligible for free or reduced lunch?

Coming up on May 9 is the 17th annual NALC Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, and I urge you to support your local food bank by participating. And it couldn't be easier -- just look for the bag delivered to your mailbox in early May. Then fill it with healthy, non-perishable food and set it by your mailbox for your letter carrier to collect on May 9.

TIP: this is a perfect way to help others by donating some of those great bargains I know you've been collecting through smart shopping and coupons!

Finally, did you know that you that you can link your Randall's Remarkable Card to the CAFB and Randall's will donate 1% of each purchase you make throughout the year? And it doesn't cost you a dime. So, not only can you rack up a gasoline discount, you can help hungry Texans at the same time!

Link your Remarkable Card to the Food Bank by completing a Remarkable Application Form at a Courtesy Booth within your local Randalls. Complete the top portion and the "Good Neighbor Program" section by designating #212, the Food Bank's account number, as the recipient of funds.

In the immortal words of Bob the Builder, WE CAN DO IT!

Watch those arteries!

It can be a challenge to find healthy -- not to mention inexpensive -- meals on the go. And who among us has not cruised through a Taco Bell now and again? Guilty.

Well, today I found this great article, The Worst Drive-Through Food in America, that you might want to read before you head for Arby's, McDonald's or BK.

Here's the king daddy worst meal of them all, according to the article:

Carl’s Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger with Medium Natural Cut Fries and 32 oz Coke
2,618 calories
144 g fat (51.5 g saturated fat)
2,892 mg sodium

Of all the gut-growing, heart-stopping, life-threatening burgers in the fast food world, there is none whose damage to your general well-being is as catastrophic as this. Consider these heart-stopping comparisons: This meal has the caloric equivalent of 13 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donuts; the saturated fat equivalent of 52 strips of bacon; and the salt equivalent of seven and a half large orders of McDonald’s French fries!

Salad, please! STAT!

Keeping Food Fresh Longer

Did you know that the nearly 25% of the fruits and vegetables bought by the average American family (whoever they are!) gets thrown out? Not only is that wasteful, it can add up to a loss of about $500 per year.

My friend Holly sent me this article about how to properly store food in your refrigerator for maximum life. Thanks for the great info, Holly!

I learned that you should only refrigerate cucumbers and peppers for a few days -- who knew? By the way, I have used those green produce bags in the past and they work well. And one last tip: to store washed lettuce, put it in a tupperware container with a small saucer turned upside-down in the bottom. It drains the water and helps the lettuce last longer.

Threadgill's: FREE chicken fried steak..??

I heard on the radio at lunch a quick mention of FREE chicken fried steak at Threadgill's. I tried to do some research, and couldn't find a mention of the offer on the Threadgill's site, but did find this mention on KLBJ's site. There it states the offer is good at the north location ONLY, and only 4/13 - 4/19 from 4 p.m. to close. Might be worth a call before you go:

Threadgill's
6416 North Lamar
Austin, Texas 78752
(512) 451-5440

UPDATE: here's some more information from the Statesman.

Movie Monday

Here's today's redbox code for a FREE movie: J89LA2

It expires at midnight. Happy watching!

What's for Dinner?

Around my house, weekday dinners must meet three requirements: simple to make, relatively healthy and quick -- we're talking 30 minutes or less (or the time it takes Toddler to lose interest in Legos). Last night we enjoyed a great meal of eggs scrambled with spinach, onions and tomatoes served with a side of pinto beans and toast.

Every week we plan out the dinners before we go grocery shopping, but sometimes we hit a food rut and need some new ideas. My pal Stephanie reminded me of this great resource, an article by NY Times food writer Mark Bittman called "Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less".

Bookmark it and refer to it often! Steph cut and pasted the recipes to a Word doc. she keeps on her computer...handy!

And feel free to share any ideas YOU might have for quick and easy meals. Thanks, readers!

redbox: Today's FREE movie code

Go to your nearest redbox location and use code TS473G for a FREE movie rental today only! Hurry, expires at midnight.

More Freebies for Monday: Coffee!

To celebrate its 39th birthday, Seattle's Best Coffee is giving away FREE small coffee (1 per guest) on Monday, April 6.

You can also print a coupon for a buy-1-get-1-free mocha or latte here.

Check out these other April coffee deals from SBC:

Tuesday, April 7 – Tuesday, April 28: All 39-year-olds receive a free medium cup of coffee on us. Limit one per customer.

Friday, April 10 – Sunday, April 12: Buy a pastry; get a medium cup of Anniversary Roast coffee on us.

Friday, April 17- Sunday, April 19: Get a $.39 (plus tax) medium cup of Anniversary Roast coffee.

Friday, April 24- Sunday, April 26: Buy any 12 oz or larger bag of coffee and receive a medium beverage on us.

Again, be sure to check out the offer details on their page here before you go.

Free reusable tote from Earthbound Farm!

Earthbound Farm Organic is giving away 10,000 FREE reusable grocery totes each week in April. They're all out for this week, but be sure to check back Monday 4/6 for your chance to win!

Just click on the green "Take our Earth Day pledge" link on the right side of the page here. I like to stash a couple of these types of bags in the car, so I'm never without if I happen to stop at a store.

Grocery Deals: Randalls, Newflower Farmers Mkt., Sun Harvest

Here are some highlights from this week's flyers. Again, check before you go for any items you might use...

Randalls:
- In-flyer coupons: Lucerne butter, 1 lb. for $.99; Fruity Pebbles or Life cereal, $.99/box; Oreo cookies, $1.99/pkg.; Lucerne eggs, 18-ct., $1.49; Kleenex, $1/box; Colgate or Crest toothpaste, $1.99. See coupons for limits, etc.

- Baby carrots, $.98/1-lb. bag
- Green grapes, $.88/lb.
- Chicken of the Sea tuna and Remarkable brand (house brand) bread: 2 for $2 (must buy both)
- Progresso Vegetable Classics soup: $1.00/can

Newflower:
- on-the-vine cluster tomatoes: $.67/lb.
- ORGANIC champagne mangos: 3 for $1
- Large artichokes: 2 for $3
- Celery, eggplant: $.88/ea.
- Red or yellow bell peppers: $.77/ea.
- Minneolas, Fuji apples: $.88/lb.
- Blackberries (5.6 oz.): $1.50/ea.
- ORGANIC strawberries (8 oz.): $2
- Cracked wheat bread (NF bakery): $2
- Large cooked shrimp: $4.97/lb.
- Kashi frozen waffles: $2
- Cascade Fresh yogurt (6 oz.): 10 for $6 ($.60/ea.)
- Cascadian Farm ORGANIC frozen fruit: $3.29/ea. == but use the $1 coupon frequently available on couponclippers.com for more savings!
- Tropicana 100% Pure and Natural juice (64 oz.): $3 == do you have the $1 coupon for this from last week on couponclippers.com?
- NF brand spices: $.99/ea

Sun Harvest:
- on-the-vine cluster tomatoes, Bosc/D'anjou pears: $.88/lb.
- red seedless grapes, Cameo or Fuji apples, zucchini: $.77/lb.
- bunched spinach or celery: $.77/ea.
- yellow onions, russet potatoes: $.25/lb.
- Texas Rio Star grapefruit: 4 for $1
- Grape or cherry tomatoes (1 pint): $2/ea.
- blackberries (5.6 oz.) or strawberries (1 lb.): $2.50/ea.
- boneless, skinless, natural chicken breast: $1.79/lb.
- Oak Farms milk: $1.79/half gallon
- Cascade Fresh yogurt (6 oz.): $.59/ea.
- Annie's natural salad dressing, 8 oz.: $2
- Kashi cereal: $2.50
- Pacific Foods organic soup: $1.99/ea.
- Yellow Tail wine: $5.99
- Top sirloin or London broil: $2.99/lb.
- Great deal! I just went today and found the Cascadian Farms ORGANIC frozen vegetables on sale for $1.77/bag (about 10 oz. or so). With the awesome $1 off coupons you can find here, it comes out to $.77/bag. Excellent to have on hand in the freezer -- cheap, healthy and convenient. My favorite combo!

Happy shopping!

Trade in Old Electronics for Cash

Today's post is a tip I received from my good buddy Stephanie. I like it!!

Hi Jennie,

Here is something your readers might be interested in! Radio Shack gives credit for your old electronics - including phones. The website evaluates your items , determines your rebate amount and issues store credit!http://radioshack.cexchange.com/online/home/index.rails Better than trashing an old cell phone.

That is great to know! And I already love Radio Shack for recycling my old batteries.