I figured that would get your attention. The crew at Savings.com, which recently offered a chance at a Sony portable sound system, is at it once more: This time, they’re handing out 20 of those gift cards.
I’d love it if one (or more!) of my readers could win. You can try once a day from now through 11:59 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 15.
Just in time for the 57th annual Grammy Awards, the folks at Savings.com are giving away a trio of Sony portable party systems with Bluetooth and NFC.
It would be great if all three went to readers of Surviving and Thriving. Failing that, even one winner would do.
You have until 11:59 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 7 to try.
Writing this from Austin, Texas, where I’m down for a spot of bidness. (Thanks, Savings.com, for inviting me to SaveUp2014 once more.) It’s pretty warm — not unbearable, just noticeably warmer than Anchorage. Then again, so are a lot of places.
(Quick aside: If you’re in the area, hope you’ll join me for brunch on Sunday, Aug. 3, at The Shady Grove.)
The heat helped me decide to put up another $10 Starbucks gift card for the weekly giveaway. Even if you don’t like coffee (I sure don’t), you can always find something interesting to drink there. You can also find air conditioning, which becomes increasingly important at this time of year.
Or you can save the scrip until the weather turns, then get one of those frou-frou coffee drinks or a fancy hot chocolate. Whatever works for you.
When possible, I try to post free stuff and the chance to win gift cards because these are good ways to stretch the budget. Here are four such opps, all of which could turn out to be great frugal hacks – that is, if you live near a Sam’s Club and/or are lucky enough to win.
(About that “iPotty”: I am not making that up. I couldn’t make that up. More on it below.)
On Saturday, June 14 you can get free men’s health screenings at all Sam’s Club locations that have pharmacies. You don’t have to be a member to take advantage of:
The screenings are offered between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. In honor of Father’s Day, maybe the dad(s) in your life will give you a gift: the opportunity to be in your life longer by being proactive about health.
You’ve got until Wednesday evening to enter to win a computer.
I’m tossing this post out there on faith, because I’m not sure how many people will actually be able to read it. That’s because the site continues to flutter and flicker.
My web goddess is ferreting out the gremlins responsible for the past few days’ worth of aggravation. It’s not an easy task, so please hang in there if you get “site down” or, worse, “fatal error” messages over the next couple of days.
Honest: I’m not quitting the business, even though part of the business quit me (and an unknown number of other writers).
Today I put my final MSN Money post into draft form. After almost seven years of contract work it feels odd to be a free agent once more. Not unpleasantly odd, mind you: I’m looking forward for a clear space in which to breathe.
I’ll still have to work, but I’ve lined up just enough to pay my basic expenses. I don’t want to dip into savings, but neither do I want to go back to being just as busy as I was before.
In other news…
A free webinar on Sept. 26 will teach “realistic” couponing.
September is National Coupon Month, and Valpak and Savings.com are sponsoring a campaign called “10,000 Reasons to Save.”
The idea is to highlight the “tangible, long-term impact” that coupons can have on our lives.
Coupons have made a major difference in my life, especially when I was a broke single mother and a broke middle-aged college student. Maybe they’ve made a big impact in your life, too – and if so, you can share your story for a chance to win up to $10,000.
That would be a pretty big impact, too.
The Reasons to Save website invites readers to contribute short essays (250 to 500 words) about their specific reason to save – buy a house? have a baby? put an existing baby through college one day? – and how smart coupon use could support that long-term goal.
My trip to the SaveUp ’13 conference has come and gone, and quickly. I left Anchorage on the evening of Wednesday, July 31 and arrived at the Orlando World Center Marriott late Thursday morning.
There followed a whirlwind of sessions and discussions about coupons, SEO, plug-ins, apps, readership, blogging tips and the like. Food, too — really good food. I just don’t make things like wild mushroom risotto or miniature pineapple cakes often enough.
And oh, the fresh pineapple, melons and other fruits available at every meal – most Alaskans never get their fill of strawberries, but I sure came close.
The fun was fleeting, though. An airport shuttle picked me up at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Two less-than-comfortable flights later and DF was bundling me and my bag into his aging Subaru.
Speaking of bags: That’s this week’s giveaway.
I’m participating in a pair of Twitter events tomorrow. You should, too, because you likely have something to contribute and/or you might learn something.
Did I mention the prizes, including Visa and Amazon gift cards?
Now that I have your attention, let me describe the fun: