Austin Children's Museum Membership Sale!

Thanks to Kate for tipping me off to the membership sale going on over at the Austin Children's Museum. Get $10 off your annual membership fee now -- but hurry, the offer ends TODAY.

The museum membership comes with some great perks, such as:

• Free admission for 1 year
• 10% discount in the museum store, birthday parties, summer camps and programs
• Discounts at local merchants, including Jo's Coffee Shop, Austin's Pizza, Red Robin, Ace Tailors, Spaghetti Warehouse and LOTS more
• Admission to 100+ children's museums across the country

Now that's a deal!

It Pays to Shop Around

This weekend I was in Stein Mart, a store I don't normally frequent. I found a really cool, vintage-looking dress for $40 that fit really well! But I digress...

Since I hadn't really been in there before, I took my time and perused the different departments. I found some Naturalizer* sandals that I really liked; Stein Mart's price was $59, and it said they normally retail for $79. Seems like a decent savings, right? I wasn't convinced.

Sure enough, I went back home [you iPhone users could have done this from the store -- fancy!] and checked Naturalizer.com, where those same shoes were on sale for $29.99! PLUS, I checked retailmenot.com for a coupon code, and got an additional $10 off my order.

Lesson: it's good to double-check prices, especially with the ease of doing so online. There might be an even better deal to be had.

*Style note: I'd also like to report that this comfort brand has come a long way in making really cute, and comfortable, shoes. Give them a look!

Austin-area Sandwich Special

In celebration of July 4th, Thundercloud is offering their American Classic Sub [ham, salami, bologna, cheese] for a special price of $2.39/small and $3.39/large. Take advantage of this great deal for lunch or a quick summer dinner for the next two weeks!

Eat local! Thanks, T-Cloud.

Dollar General, Revisited

Today I was in search of cheap frames for some wall art that I purchased online for my son's room. I had visited Michaels earlier in the week, but even with their printable coupon, it was still more than I wanted to pay. 

So on the way home from work, I stopped into the Dollar General store around the corner from my house and was pleasantly surprised. I hadn't been in the store in quite some time, and they had really fixed it up. Everything was neat and tidy, with clear markings on the aisle. I found frames that will work perfectly for $3 each. 

I wandered the store to see what else I had been missing. There were lots of good food deals like Kraft BBQ sauce for $1/bottle; microfiber cleaning cloths (to help with your green cleaning!) for $3/bundle of 3;  and party packs of mini-Playdough (name brand) for $1/4-pack. In just about every section there were excellent deals to be had. They even are starting to do upscale-looking "DG" store-brand packaging and design, which rivals Target. 

And I was pleased to see a sign prominently displayed on the front door saying that they do accept coupons. Heaven! My husband told me he recently read a story in The New York Times about how well DG was doing, and how they were positioning themselves as a smaller, more accessible Walmart. In these tough economic times, I recommend giving Dollar General a try.  

P.S. Have you heard of the 99-Cent Chef? He makes gourmet meals out of dollar-store items. Pretty inventive! 

Green cleaning...on the cheap!

I am a big proponent of natural cleaning products. And I'm not talking about the expensive brands like Seventh Generation, Method, etc. (though they are good). I mean good old fashioned borax, baking soda and white vinegar, to name just a few. These simple, time-tested products can get your house sparkling clean with little impact on the environment, your family's health OR your wallet.

For instance, I keep on hand a general cleaning solution of 2 tsp. borax, a shot of liquid soap and 1/4 white vinegar mixed with enough warm water to fill a spray bottle. This is great for cleaning everything from kitchen countertops to coffee spills on the tile floor.

Here are some more of my favorite ways to use these non-toxic cleaning products:

• sprinkle a tablespoon of borax in the bottom of the kitchen trash can or diaper pail to keep odors at bay
• add a shake of either borax or baking soda to the washing machine to boost your detergent's cleaning power and thoroughly deodorize clothes, naturally
• clean your oven with a paste made from baking soda and water -- works great with NO dangerous fumes
• use club soda in a spray bottle to clean windows and mirrors; works fantastic! Wipe clean with an old rag (I repurpose my son's old cotton burp cloths).

These types of solutions will save you money, save your health and help save the planet. And they WORK.

Look here for a great basic non-toxic cleaning kit list.

And check out some other helpful resources here and here. Happy GREEN cleaning!

$2 Tanks, Saturday at Old Navy!

Get thee to your nearest Old Navy store on Saturday for their fabulous $2 tank sale! Valid in stores, on Saturday, 6/20, ONLY. And I hear there's a limit of 5 tanks per person. So grab that $10 bill and head out!

The Humble, "Regular" Grocery Store

I'd like to pay tribute to the goliath, ubiquitous Texas grocery store chain -- HEB. Specifically, the ability of this everyman's store to provide healthy options at prices that beat the pants off big-time competitors like Whole Foods and other natural food stores, such as Newflower Farmers Market and Central Market in this area. 

Today, as an example, I purchased some Van's frozen waffles. My kid gobbles these all-natural, organic [some varieties] and delicious treats up with peanut butter in the mornings. Now these regularly sell for approximately $3.50/box at Newflower (haven't priced them at Whole Foods). But at HEB this morning, they were on sale for $2/box, plus I had a $1-off-2 coupon, which brought them down to $1.50/box. SCORE. 

I also bought 2 boxes of Kashi organic cereal the other day at a price of 2 for $5. With another $1-off-2 coupon, it brought the cost of this delicious, organic cereal down to $2/box. Compare that to Newflower, who sells it for approximately $4.50/box. Ridiculous! 

In my experience, HEB consistently has the best prices on these and other organic/health brands -- like Stonyfield Farm dairy and Cascadian Farms -- in addition to offering many excellent-quality house brand products. 

These small examples serve as a reminder to not overlook your "regular" grocery store in your quest to eat a healthy diet. And take those coupons with you! 

More Summer Kid Movies: FREE

Last month I told you about Cinemark's Summer Movie series, which features kids movies for $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Regal Cinemas offers a similar program, but their movies are FREE. Select G- and PG-rated movies are shown at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for nine weeks of family fun. Here is the page with Texas information, but you can find a participating theater in your area here.

Sonic: Free Root Beer Floats

Well, I'm back from our Boston vacation, which was great. One thing I'd like to report is that the grocery prices seem similar to Austin, though restaurant fare is definitely higher. That leads me to believe that though I post about Austin-area grocery deals, I'm sure those of you in other (big) cities could find and take advantage of similar deals in your area. And remember: Randalls is Safeway in many parts of the country.

On to the really good stuff!

This Wednesday, June 3, Sonic is giving away FREE 10-oz. root beer floats from 8 p.m. to midnight. The usual "while supplies last" disclaimer applies. Not a bad way to enjoy a summer evening and let Sonic show their appreciation!

And before you go, check out this page to find some healthier options to eat at Sonic. In case you need a snack with that float...