Food Emporium Friday

Image via thefoodemporium.com

ON SALE THIS WEEK (6/19-6/25) AT THE FOOD EMPORIUM WITH YOUR SHOPPER REWARDS CARD:

--Large Brown Organic Eggs, $1.49 (that's half price!)

--Driscoll's Raspberries, 2 for $5

--Purdue Whole Chicken, $1.29/pound (save 70%!)

--Eight o' Clock Coffee, $4.99 (save $2.50 on the brand that beat out Starbucks in a taste test conducted by Consumer Reports!)

--Bounty Giant 6 Roll Paper Towels, $9.99

--Tide 2x Laundry Detergent, $9.99

--Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey, $4.99/pound

--B&M No Sugar-Added Beans, 2 for $3

--Stella Artois 12-packs, $16.99

--Coca-cola Regular and Diet 12 packs, 3 for $12

--Dannon Light Yogurt, 5 for $4

--Philly Cream Cheese Bars, 2 for $4

J. Crew Secret Sale

Image via jcrew.com

Now through June 17th, get 20% off purchases of $175 or more at jcrew.com by entering code SECRET at checkout.

CONCERTED EFFORT

AT LEFT: I don't want to close my eeeeeeyyeeeeees...

Image via flickr.com

The boyfriend and I don't get out much. Often, we talk about going to the movies or seeing a concert the way people talk about going to Hawaii or seeing God: nice thoughts, but not things that'll happen anytime soon. I don't know what it is that keeps us sitting on our couch night after night, clicking through the stations on our TV, hoping for an as-of-yet unseen episode of Law & Order: Anything But SUV. Laziness certainly has something to do with it; the fact that our TV is pretty much the best thing ever does too. But now, thanks to Live Nation, service fees will not.

TODAY ONLY, tickets purchased at livenation.com come free of service fees. And, with Live Nation selling tix across the country--for such hot acts as as Aerosmith, Coldplay, and the Allman Brothers--that's certainly music to my ears.

Perhaps the boyfriend and I will get out after all...

LOVE TORY

Get 20% off at Tory Burch boutiques and online either by mentioning their Facebook fan promotion or by typing in promo code FBFAN before online checkout at toryburch.com. Offer is good JUNE 11 ONLY, so get shopping!

SALE MAIL

At left: GIMME. Image via jcrew.com

A roundup of the latest deals and steals clogging my inbox. 

WHAT: SAVE 15% ON ALL ARTS TITLES FROM PBS, plus get a free Oliver Twist DVD with any purchase of $40 or more.

WHEN: Offer ends June 1st.

WHERE: shoppbs.org

WHY: They don't call it Masterpiece Theater for nuthin'

HOW: No code needed, just head to the website.

WHAT: $0 INITIATION FEE WHEN YOU JOIN EQUINOX GYMS

WHEN: Now through 5/31

WHERE: To join, call 866.927.5286 or visit equinoxfitness.com

WHY:  One word: bikini.

HOW:  Just mention the promotion to your membership advisor...

WHAT:  FREE STANDARD SHIPPING FROM BALLARD DESIGNS

WHEN:  ENDS TODAY

WHERE:  ballarddesigns.com

WHY:  Time to finally take down those NKOTB posters...

HOW:  Discount applied at checkout.

WHAT: 30% OFF SWIMWEAR + FREE ONLINE SHIPPING FOR AT ANY PRICE AT NEIMAN MARCUS

WHEN:  Now through 5/27

WHERE:  neimanmarcus.com

WHY:  Your old bather is looking pretty sad...

HOW:  Enter MAYNM at checkout for free shipping. 30% off discount applied automatically.

WHAT: 80% OFF SALE AT RESTAURANT.COM (Get $25 gift certificates for $2!!)

WHEN:  Now through 5/30

WHERE:  restaurant.com

WHY: Aren't you sick of eating PB&J at home?

HOW:  Enter SPECIAL at checkout and hit "apply"

WHAT:  25% OFF ANY ONE ITEM FOR BORDERS REWARDS CUSTOMERS

WHEN: Now through 5/31

WHERE: At a borders store near you.

WHY:  Because it's finally time to get on the Twilight bandwagon. Trust me: You won't be sad.

HOW:  Get the coupon at borders.com use it at a Borders store near you. Valid only with a Borders Rewards card (it's free, and you can get one immediately at the store).

WHAT:  20% OFF YOUR ORDER OF $175 OR MORE AT JCREW.COM

WHEN:  ENDS TODAY

WHERE: jcrew.com

WHY:  Have you seen their new catalog???? Amazing.

HOW:  Enter code SUMMER at checkout.

SALE MAIL

Once in a while (when I feel like it, pretty much) I go through my inbox in search of deals and sales that might be of interest to the readership (insert hacky joke here about the readership being limited to my parental units, hahahahahaha, etc.). So, without further ado, here are the deals of the week:

WHAT: VERA WANG FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Spend $30 or more and get 50% off as well as free shipping on all Vera Wang Fine Papers. 

WHEN: 5/5-5/19

WHERE: verawangweddings.com

WHY: Pretty thank you cards make great engagement presents...

HOW: Enter WAFF1 at checkout

WHAT: J.CREW SPRING SALE

WHEN: 5/6-?

WHERE: jcrew.com

WHY: Getting yourself into a bathing suit sucks enough--you might as well save some money while you're at it.

HOW: just visit jcrew.com -- no fancy codes needed

WHAT: STEVE MADDEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY SALES

WHEN: 5/8-5/10

WHERE: Valid only in Steve Madden Stores on stevemadden.com

WHY: April showers bring May flowers... and destroy ballet flats. Time for a new pair.

HOW: Click and print out the flier above and bring it to the store or enter SMFRIENDS25 at checkout online

WHAT: THE NY JUNIOR LEAGUE'S SIP, SHOP AND STROLL THROUGH SOHO

WHEN: 5/12

WHERE: At participating SoHo stores. Check in at Bloomingdale's SoHo.

WHY: Receive special deals, gifts, and complimentary refreshments from places like J.Crew, Fresh, Bloomingdale's, and Tibi.

HOW:  Go to www.nyjl.org to register and for more details.

I LOVE DRUGS (TORES)--CVS, RITE AID AND WALGREENS

Image via cvs.com

Here's what's on sale this week at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. Remember, most of these deals will require a shopper rewards card from the store in question.

CVS Sale Items, 5/3-5/9

Select Kelloggs Cereals, 3 for $5 (after extra bucks)

Old Spice or Secret Deodorant, $4

Lubriderm 13.5-16 oz lotion, $6.99

Rite Aid Sale Items, 5/3-5/9

Post Cereals, 2 for $5

8-packs of AA or AAA Duracell Coppertop Batteries, $9.99 

8-pack of Irish Spring Bath Bars, $3.99

20 ct. Aleve Liquid Gels, $4.99

24-pack Aquafina Water, 2 for $10 

Chicken of the Sea or Bumble Bee Solid White Tuna, 2 for $3

Haagen Daz 14oz Ice Cream, 2 for $5

Skippy Peanut Butter, 2 for $4

Walgreens Sale Items, 5/3-5/9

Dawn Dishwashing Liquid, $.99

Healthy Choice Soups, 2 for $3

2 liter Coke or Dr. Pepper Products, 4 for $5

Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks Coffee, $6.99

Chicken of the Sea Solid White Tuna, 4 for $5

Walgreens Aluminum Foil, $.59

Crest Toothpaste or Floss, 2 for $5

Aveeno Products, 20% off

80 ct. Aleve Gel Caps, $7.99

6-pack Charmin Ultra Toilet Paper, $3.29

Bounty Paper Towels, 2 for $3

23.7 oz Head and Shoulders Shampoo, $5.99

I LOVE DRUGS (TORES)--DUANE READE EDITION

Image via duanereade.com

Here's what's on sale (with your shopper rewards card) at Duane Reade this week. CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens post their circulars tomorrow, so I'll be back then with my picks. 

Duane Reade Sale Items, 5/2-5/8

24-pack of Poland Spring Water, $3.99 with every purchase of $20 or more

12-packs of Coke/Diet Coke, 2 for $7

Advil Liqui-Gels, $8.99 + 25 extra bonus points

4-packs of Cottonelle Toilet Paper, 2 for $6

12-packs of Corona/Becks/Sam Adams/Stella, $14.99

Food Emporium Friday

Image via thefoodemporium.com

Here's what's on sale (with your handy frequent shoppers reward card thingy) this week at the Food Emporium: 

Organic Valley Omega 3 Eggs, BUY ONE GET ONE FREE

Fresh Purdue Split Chicken Breasts, $1.99/pound (save $1.80/pound)

Ronzoni Pasta, $.99

Bertoli Pasta Sauce, 2 for $5

Charmin Ultra Toilet Paper 12-packs, $14.99

Oreo Cookies, 2 for $7

Dannon Light Yogurt, 4 for $3

Stonyfield Farm Organic Milk, $3.99

Friendship Cottage Cheese, 2 for $6

Kraft Individually Wrapped American Cheese Stacks, $3.99

America's Choice Sour Cream, 2 for $3

and, HAPPY CINCO de MAYO: 

Pepito White Corn or Flour Tortillas, 33% off

Corono 12-packs, $14.99

Dos Equis 6-pack, $7.99

Want to see what else is on sale? Click here.

**WANT TO GET EVEN MORE OFF YOUR GROCERY BILL? BRING IN YOUR OWN BAGS, AND THE FOOD EMPORIUM WILL DEDUCT $.02 FOR EVER PLASTIC BAG OF THEIRS THAT YOU DON'T USE**

CUTS ABOVE

Ever wonder what, exactly, those cuts of meat are in your supermarket bargain bins? Or how to cook them? The New York Times has answers. Check out the article here. 

Closet Confidential: Designers, slumming it.

The ladies at recessionwire.com have a great roundup detailing what designers are doing lower-cost lines for larger discount stores this spring. Check out the article here.

WRAP PARTY

Image via staceysnacksonline.com

While this post has nothing to do with living on the cheap, it has everything to do with living a better life. Brace yourself, for what I'm about to reveal is going to be life-altering to the extent that it may cause you too look back on the past few decades and have you shaking your fist in anger. After that, you may actually cry tears of relief. Here goes: 

Did you know that there, on the side of your Saran and Reynolds Wrap boxes, is a little tab that locks the roll in place? I'll bet you 23,094,820,983 phony bucks that you didn't.  Because, seriously: who looks at the side?

A friend posted this link on facebook and, after reading the news, I'm pretty sure I'll never be the same again. 

How  many times have you tried to pull of a sheet of saran wrap only to have it go kerplunk on the floor, rendering it somewhat dusty and you fully frustrated? I've done that so many times now that I approach the rolls with total trepidation. Plastic and aluminum foil companies (oh yeah, even the generic brands seem to have the tab) should put flashing lights on the sides of their packages to alert you to this feature. Can you imagine all the aggravation this would have saved had we known about this? We'd all be better, happier, nicer people. It's amazing.

Anyway, spread the word. 

Does This Trend Have Staying Power?

The NYTimes had a great piece today on "staycations" -- breaks from work in which people opt to stay home rather than jet off to someplace they can ill afford.

I have to admit: the concept appeals. But life as a freelancer is pretty much a staycation--especially now that I have approximately, uh, ZERO work to do on account of magazines dying at the awesome rate of about 309842098420983402984 per second. Watching Law & Order every day is only fun for so long, is what I'm saying. And I'm not convinced that were I on a staycation that I would ever feel like I wasn't just wasting time at home--which is how I feel nearly every day these days. 

Of course, perhaps the presence of my live-in boyfriend would change all that. I can picture us drinking wine at lunch, picking up cheese in the afternoon at the new creamery down the street, maybe even popping into a museum or seeing a show. But I can also just as easily picture us on the couch staring at our television, feeling like we were just wasting time. (We both have blackberries, and so in the latter scenario, I also can see us working... not exactly the point of a break.)

Jezebel asked their readers if they've ever had a successful staycation and, since I haven't had an original idea since college, I'm asking the same: Have any of you ever done it and felt like you actually pulled it off? The boyfriend's vacation is in August and my wallet isn't getting any fatter...

BLOOMING DEALS

Now through April 26th, Bloomingdale's is offering 20% off to their friends and family. Online shoppers should use promo code SPRINGFF. For some reason, I can't figure out how to post the coupon for in-store shoppers, so leave me your email in the comments section if you'd like me to forward it to you. 

FYI, the discount code is good for their wedding registry too. If, like me, you have a bajillion weddings coming up this summer, now might be a good time to take care of all your gifts...

OPRAH OFFERS

Image via sigg.com

In honor of Earth Day, Oprah has partnered with some ecologically sound retailers to give you some economically sound deals. These offers are only good for a limited time, so act fast!

GET A FREE, REUSABLE LUNCH BAG FROM WHOLE FOODS

GET 20% OFF SIGG PRODUCTS

GET 20% OFF TO-GO WARE

Happy Earth Day!

ABOVE: Going green is a bright idea. Image via oprah.com

After a week of vacation, I'm back. Back to this shiteous weather, back to paying for my meals (Hi Mom and Dad! I MISS YOU), and back to parking my increasingly fat patootie on the couch to watch she-of-the-also-round-buttox, Oprah. 

Today's show was all about Earth Day, and Oprah had a lot of great recommendations for going green and saving some cash. Here are some of her best and most NYC-applicable: 

1. Buy LCD flood lights. While they cost $40, they last 10 years and will save you up to $740 during that time.

2. LCD TV's are more energy efficient than their Plasma counterparts. Also, as in most things, smaller saves more energy. 

3. Go meatless one day a week. Having a "meatless Monday" every week will save you cash, and is the equivalent of removing 20 million mid-size sedans from the road. 

4. Gardening is the single greenest thing you can do (and, though Oprah says that it's not so easy to garden in NYC, I'd like to point out that I have beets growing on my rooftop right now) and a $60 investment will save you nearly $200 in fresh produce. 

5. Finally, for all you home owners: If you make a green improvement to your home before the end of 2009, you may be eligible for a $1500 tax credit.

Check out Oprah.com for more green ideas.

THONG SONG

Miss Trish of Capri sandals are now at Target!!

OLD BAGS NEED LOVE TOO

Image via thefoodemporium.com

Fantastic news: The Food Emporium is now giving its customers a break for bringing in their own shopping bags--and for forgoing the plastic ones the store provides. For every bag you bring and use, they knock off $.02. It's not a lot, but maybe just enough to get shoppers to go the eco--and econonically--friendly route.

Get Your Propers

Image via bostonproper.com

To celebrate their recent website relaunch, Boston Proper is offering $10 off online purchases of $50 or more, now through April 19th. Just enter 29FAN41 at checkout.

FULL DISCLOSURE: This is a family-owned company, as in: my uncle runs it. So, while I won't get a check if you buy something from the website, a certain amount of pennies will eventually wind up in my bank account at some point in the (probably distant) future. All of which is to say: place your orders!

Bob's Your Uncle, Part 2

Image via bobsaget.com

This note just landed in my inbox: 

"Spring is here and it's time for a new look! 

We would like to inform you about a special opportunity to receive a free Razor Bob with Bb. U Model Project. For those who have never attended a Model Call, this is the perfect time to get a fun and flirty new look. For our existing clients, this is a unique opportunity to change your current style.

We hope that you will join us for an exclusive Model Call event on Monday, April 20th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm on the 6th floor of the House of Bumble [located at 415 w. 13th Street]. You will receive a consultation with a Bb. educator to ensure that your hair is appropriate for a Razor bob or a different featured style, if more suitable. 

If you meet the requirements for a Razor Bob, you will receive an appointment for an upcoming session.

.... Please RSVP as soon as possible to: freebobs@bumbleandbumble.com"