Atlanta Bargain Hunter

Veterans Day specials

The tragic event that took place this week at the Fort Hood military base in Texas has brought into the forefront the tremendous service of men and women in the armed services. Veterans, active military personnel and reservists will be honored throughout the week as part of the Nov. 11 Veterans Day holiday.

Several attractions in Atlanta have extended discounts to these men and women.

The Georgia Aquarium is offering $20 tickets to active, retired and reserved military personnel and their families Nov. 7 through Nov. 15. Plus, they will get a 10 percent discount in the gift shop. You have to show a military identification.

The World of Coca-Cola is free for military personnel Nov. 7-14, and 50 percent off for up to four family members or friends.

Imagine It! Children’s Museum is free for active and retired military personnel from Nov. 7-15, and tickets are discounted to $9.50 for an additional friend or family member.

The CNN Studio Tour will offer free …

Continue reading Veterans Day specials and free admissions at area attractions: Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Imagine It! and more »

Online shopping is not only convenient, it can also save consumers money. Retailers routinely place their deepest discounts on their Web sites, often enhancing the offers with additional coupons and free shipping.

Not surprisingly, holiday shoppers will look online for gifts. According to the Forrester Research Group, online shopping this holiday season is expected to rise 8 percent over 2008 numbers. That also means greater opportunity for prowling identity thieves. While Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is marked by the rush of retail shoppers flooding stores, Cyber Monday just three days later marks the biggest online shopping day of the year.

And unscrupulous thieves are paying attention.

“It’s not that we as consumers are stupid,” said Todd Feinman, identity theft prevention expert and chief executive officer of Identity Finder software. “The hackers are getting better and better at what they are doing.”

That means shoppers have to be smarter. Atlanta Victims …

Continue reading Cyber Monday prime opportunity for I.D. thieves: Tips to protect yourself »

Photo credit: Curtis Compton, AJC

Thousands of consumers are paying credit card charges racked up during last year’s holiday season.

Considering the economy was already in decline, that may not come as a surprise. While many slashed holiday shopping, others pressed on, and used credit cards instead. Once job losses and other factors crumbled around us, they were unable to make the payments on accumulated bills.

There are helpful tips to help you avoid falling into holiday shopping debt. Here are a few:

• Do not shop for yourself.
• Set a budget before you shop and stick to it.
• Use cash instead of credit cards.
• Make a list and don’t stray from it.

That begs the question, how likely are you to use your credit card at all this holiday?

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Continue reading How will you shop for the holidays? »

Bargain on ‘Cavalia’

The show under the big tent is spectacular by all accounts. It’s also a bit pricey. I’ve stumbled upon this discount that may make Cavalia more affordable for families. A child’s ticket is free with the purchase of two adult tickets with the Family 2 Family discount. The offer is good on evening performances only. You can purchase the tickets by phone or at the Cavalia box office at Atlantic Station. Be sure to use promo code WSB-TV to get the free ticket.

You can also save up to 30 percent off on select shows by calling 1-866-999-8111 or visiting the Cavalia box office, using promo code Georgia Aquarium. The Web site isn’t clear about which performances this deal is good for.

Read Inside Access blogger Jamie Gumbrecht’s first impressions of the show that runs through Nov. 22 here.

Urban Nutcracker BOGO

The Ballethnic Dance Company’s annual Urban Nutcracker performance is Nov. 19-22 at the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech. This is a contemporary …

Continue reading Cavalia: buy 2, get 1 free | Urban Nutcracker BOGO | Save on ‘Rockettes,’ ‘Wiggles’ and Otis Redding »

Otis Redding tickets reduced

Ticket prices have been reduced for tonight’s performance at the Woodruff Arts Center — ‘An Evening of Respect: A Musical Tribute to the immortal Otis Redding.” Tickets for this show started at $150, and have gone down since. Today, though hardly cheap, they range from $50 to $85, depending upon the seat selection.

Performances include tributes from Anthony Hamilton, Musiq Soulchild, Estelle, Kenny Lattimore, Chante’ Moore, William Bell, Eddie Floyd and others. Regularly priced tickets are $50 and $85. Purchase tickets online at woodruffcenter.org or by calling 404-733-5000.

Half-price wine

It’s not hard to find excellent wine selections around Atlanta. Truthfully, it has gotten easier to find them at good prices, too, as restaurants hold specials throughout the week. This is one that has recently been added. Aqua Blue in Roswell, a winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, is offering half-price on select bottles of wines throughout …

Continue reading Free Krispy Kreme for veterans | Half-price wines | Free Chick-fil-A calendar | Reduced Otis Redding tix »

Looking for a cheap date idea? We’ve got you covered, offering up a few options every week that are suitable for a variety of tastes. All of our dates are $40 or less — many of them are free. And they all require you to get off the couch and out of the house. So, here you go:

Eddie's Attic has $5 Open Mic night on Mondays. Credit: Rodney Ho

You be the judge

The nights of music in the park are just about behind us. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean we have to turn our back on live music as a cheap date idea. Take for instance this option I discovered this week. Monday at Eddie’s Attic is Open Mic night. Every week, a songwriter with big ambitions takes the stage. You never know whom you might be listening in on; it could be the next great one. You and your date can always say, “Remember when?” But even if the lineup never amounts to much, you’ll have had a good time — for only $5 per person. Eddie’s Attic is located at 515 N. McDonough St., Decatur.

Salute to Veterans

Photo …

Continue reading Cheap date ideas: Open mic | Patriotism | Free film festival | Chili cookoff | Book reading »

Small donation, big dividends

Giving a little can go a long way. In this case, it doesn’t take much — a $5 donation — to get a lot more in return. Belk’s Charity Sale on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. will benefit local charities, schools and nonprofit organizations throughout Atlanta. Here’s how it works: give a $5 donation and receive a ticket that entitles you to merchandise discounts ranging from 15 to 50 percent. You’ll get $5 off your first purchase of $5 or more, too. You can also register to win one of three $1,000 Belk shopping sprees.

Win World of Coca-Cola tickets

Ordinarily, I do not post contests. However, this one is so easy, it’s really worth the minimal effort involved. Blogger Atlanta With Kid is giving away four World of Coca-Cola tickets — 2 adults and 2 children — in a random giveaway that only requires you to name your favorite Coca-Cola drink product. That’s it. Go to this Web site, enter your favorite drink in the comments section, and cross your …

Continue reading Win World of Coca-Cola tickets | Donate and save big »

Meatballs!

It’s hard to beat a hot dinner for $1, especially if it’s not fast food. IKEA has pulled it off, though. From Nov. 7 through Nov. 10, the store’s restaurant is selling its popular Swedish Meatballs dinner for just $1. The same meal, that includes mashed potatoes and cream sauce, is $2.49 on Tuesday nights, while the regular price is $4.99.

Sports bar deal

On the hunt for my OTP readers, I found this half off deal for dinner at Da Bomb Wings and Seafood in Lithonia. For $10, you get two $10 certificates good for any menu item (excluding alcohol). If you want to catch an Atlanta Falcons game, or a Saturday of college football, and enjoy wings and good sports bar grub while you’re watching, this deal can make it happen on the cheap. Just click here to purchase the certificate, a $10 value. The certificate expires Dec. 31, and there may be a fee for shipping.

Atlanta Hawks deals

I went to an Atlanta Hawks game last season with my family and spent nearly as much money on …

Continue reading $1 Swedish meatballs | Save on Hawks tickets | Free comedy | Half-off sports bar »

Tommy, 21 months old, couldn't resist the allure of the toilet. Photo: Provided by family.

Children are curious by nature. They climb into places they shouldn’t, are fascinated by fire and run around the house with carefree abandon.

As wonderful as it all sounds, it can also be dangerous. That’s why childproofing your home is a good idea. No, we can’t protect the little ones from ever getting bumps, scrapes and bruises. But we can keep them from badly injuring themselves by taking a few small and inexpensive precautions.

I’ve asked the folks over at DeputyHusbands.com in Alpharetta, Kevin and Janice Walker, to lend us a few tips. The most obvious is putting in plastic outlet covers, but there’s more you can do.

1. Banister Guards: Children love to hang around railings, peering over them and peeking through. It doesn’t matter how high or dangerous it is; they can’t get enough of it. A banister guard or plastic shield, which can be purchased for as little as $20, will help keep …

Continue reading D.I.Y.: 8 tips to childproof your home »

Arts writer Howard Pousner took a deeper look at the new Art a la Carte package that allows you to bundle the shows and attractions you’re most interested in — without the big ticket.

'A Christmas Carol' is included in the new Art a la Carte package. Photo: Greg Mooney

Seven Atlanta arts organizations and attractions are collaborating to boost ticket sales across the board through a “build-your-own-subscription” series where parents can get discounts of 20 to 25 percent to the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Center for Puppetry Arts by purchasing tickets to three or more of them, Pousner said.

Here’s his full report:

Here’s one positive development from the current economic crunch: Seven Atlanta arts organizations and attractions that have competed over the years for ticket sales are now collaborating, and the result is a good deal for families.

Art a la Carte is a just-launched build-your-own subscription series where parents can get …

Continue reading Arts, attractions ticket deal designed to save families money »