Archive for April, 2010

Taking a spin around the deal sites:

Miss Mamie’s Cupcakes: $8 for six gourmet cupcakes, a $16 value, through Groupon.com.

Touched By Flowers: $30 for $50 worth of floral arrangements through Groupon.com.

D.B.A. Barbecue: $11 for $25 in food and drinks at the Virginia Highland eatery on Halfoffdepot.com

Atlanta Hawks Tickets: $15 for $30 Atlanta Hawks Game 5 playoff tickets on Halfoffdepot.com.

Decatur Boxing Club: $18 for two boxing classes for two people, 55 percent off on LivingSocial.com.

Pera Dance Studio: $15 for a $40 four-class card on MyDailyThread.com.

Saba in Oakhurst: 50 percent off food and drinks at the Italian restaurant on Scoutmob.com.

My Produce Guy: $25 for $50 in fresh fruit, vegetables and more delivered. Deal on TheGreenHalf.com.

The Cotton Fields Golf Club: $39.99 for four greens fees, six buy one, get one options and bucket of balls on AdilityDeal.com.

Private Golf Lesson: $25 for $70 private lesson from golf pro Brett Gorney and video swing …

Continue reading 10 huge deals: Save up to 70% on tickets, lessons, meals and more »

BOGO World of Coca-Cola membership

The World of Coca-Cola welcomed its 3 millionth visitor on April 7. Clearly, it’s one of the city’s most popular attractions. Chances are there is someone in your life who would love an annual membership. Right now, memberships are buy one get one free when purchased online through this email link that I’m sharing with you. Adult memberships are $30 (ages 13-64), senior memberships are $26 and a child’s membership is $20. Children 3 and under are free.

$10 Hawks Playoff tickets

This offer landed in my inbox over the weekend, so there may be only a limited number of tickets still available. The Atlanta Hawks Game 5 first-round playoffs return to Philips Arena on Wednesday. There are $10 upper level seats available. Click here to purchase. You can get the same price on upper level tickets through Travelzoo.com, as well as lower level seats for $30 (regular price $52-$70). In the special offer code box, use promo code ZOO. There are no …

Continue reading $10 Hawks tickets | BOGO World of Coke membership | Chance at free Shane’s Ribs dinner »

When the huge truck hauling a dumpster pulled up to the house across the street from me, I feared the worst. Another foreclosure; a sad sign for my neighbor and for my home value.

As it turns out, she was preparing for a remodeling project. I was relieved and in truth, perhaps I should not have been surprised. The cost of moving to a bigger home is more expensive these days because home equities are shot. The amount of money one could potentially be forced to bring to the closing table is staggering. In many cases, it makes more sense to upgrade existing space to make it more comfortable and increase value for when the market gets its legs back.

Annual spending on remodeling homes is expected to pick up this year with a nearly 5 percent growth over 2009, according to a survey cited in the Wall Street Journal.

Nowadays, say real-estate agents and contractors, smaller projects like updating kitchens and baths and humble attic-bedroom conversions are more popular, while …

Continue reading Home remodeling the smarter choice for some »

Mary Poppins tickets for $35

Sign up for the free Travelzoo.com service and you’ll be able to score deals on many activities and events around town. Today, for instance, there’s a deal for Mary Poppins the musical, coming to the Fox Theatre April 29 through May 15. Tickets are $35 — that’s 40 percent off — when you use promo code TZOO while purchasing on Ticketmaster. You can also use promo code ATLMP for $35 orchestra tickets

Local students can get discounted “Student Rush” tickets for $20. These tickets can only be purchased one hour prior to performance time and the student must have valid student identification. There is a two-ticket limit per student and the tickets apply to any seat in the theatre.

Save 80% on Restaurant.com certificates

Use promo code MEAL to get 80 percent off Restaurant.com gift certificates. The $25 dining certificates are $2. That’s pretty tough to beat. Of course restrictions apply as restaurants that accept the certificates differ when it comes to …

Continue reading Free kids tix for Aquarium and “Diana” exhibit | 50% off World Fitness Day | Free health expo | Game 5 Hawks deals | Save on Mary Poppins | 80% off Restaurant.com | $1 meatballs at IKEA »

As a consumer, it’s nice to know a retailer is paying close attention to your needs and wants. Who doesn’t want to feel valued as a shopper?

While there are few bones to pick with that, there may be one when you understand the lengths retailers and manufacturers go in order to find out what your desires are. Those online coupons that can be printed out or loaded onto your mobile phone are also used to compile data about who you are, where you shop, when you shop, how much you spend and more, according to this New York Times article.

This is not meant to dissuade you from using online coupons. However, you should know that while you’re getting a discount when the bar code is scanned, you’re giving information as well, like your Internet address, Facebook page information and shopping habits. That information is shared with retailers to help them better understand their shoppers and market to them.

Using coupons to link Internet behavior with in-store shopping lets retailers …

Continue reading Online coupons give and take, saving customers money while tracking personal info »

We were fearful of what credit card companies might do in response to sweeping, consumer-friendly regulations that came down the pike in February.

So far, not much, according to a Bankrate.com survey of the 50 largest card issuers conducted April 1-8. The company compared the fees on 73 of the most basic cards. Of those, 33 were issued by credit unions and 40 by banks. Of the 73, only 12 had a fixed interest rate.

Only a few have implemented the dreaded inactivity fee or annual fees.

“The good news is we’re not seeing that yet,” McBride said. “But we’re still in the first inning.”

Here’s a glimpse at the breakdown:

Inactivity Fees

Three banks charged inactivity fees, and none of the credit cards did. However, the threat of closure of accounts of non-use may be higher. The range of inactivity before closure was between a few months and three years.

Annual Fees

Five of the 73 surveyed charged annual fees. Since there are so many options that do not have annual fees, you’d be …

Continue reading Credit card companies haven’t bitten back — yet »

BOGO Gwinnett Braves tickets

Brooks Conrad of the Gwinnett Braves signs autographs last season. Photo: Hyosub Shin, AJC

The Gwinnett Braves season was a fun one for fans in the area last season. I made it up to a game and loved it. I’m definitely going again and will likely use the Minor League baseball buy one, get one free ticket offer available every Tuesday at minor league parks around the country. All you have to do is bring a Kraft Singles wrapper to the ticket booth. I have no idea what they actually do with the things, but at least you get a free ticket out of it. The offer is valid for games through Sept. 7.

Customers of Gas South have a deal offer, too. It’s buy one ticket, get one free for home games Sundays through Thursdays when you use promo code GASSOUTH while purchasing tickets. The offer cannot be used July 4.

50% off Taste of Decatur

In the neighborhood of 60 restaurants will have nibbles ready for patrons of the Taste of Decatur on Saturday, April 24. …

Continue reading BOGO Gwinnett Braves | 50% off Taste of Decatur | Free show at Punchline Academy | Half-off Laughing Skull Lounge »

Collective buying power giant Groupon is expanding its reach further into the deal hunting consciousness. Landing in metro Atlanta in July, Groupon has only gotten bigger since with a presence in more than 50 cities.

Initial investors just sold a $135 million portion of their stock to Russian Internet investment group, Digital Sky Technologies, and Battery Ventures. While Groupon reaches higher and wider, local deal sites are creating their own niche.

One, in particular, has carved out a corner of the market with discounts offered only to customers of establishments that meet the website’s “green” standards. It’s called The Green Half, formerly Half Off Green, and it marries greener businesses with eco-minded consumers.

In this case, green represents a rainbow of distinctions — organic food and materials, recycling efforts and energy and water conservation practices, to name a few.

“There is no other way I can personally do it than to have my values ingrained in …

Continue reading Local deal site targets customers with “green” interests on Earth Day and beyond »

Half-off at Zoo Atlanta and Fernbank

The summer is approaching and you’ll soon be looking for things to do with your kids. Zoo Atlanta tickets, regularly-priced at $25.50, are $10.75 on Halfoffdepot.com. You have until Aug. 1 to use them, but the deal is available only as long as ticket supplies last. Also, remember that Fulton County residents can get free passes to the Zoo from the local library.

AJC file photo.

There are also half-off tickets available on the same website for the Fernbank. Tickets are $7.50.

Lunch rush special at the High

I wish I could get down to the High Museum for its Lunch Rush special that runs through June 20. Tuesdays through Thursdays, adult admission is half-price — $9 — from noon to 2 p.m. for walk-up purchases. Tickets to the High are half-price every Thursday evening from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Big deal at Sotto Sotto

Sotto Sotto is one of the area’s nicer restaurants. It’s also pretty pricey. If you’re interested in a special restaurant but not …

Continue reading Half-off tickets for Zoo Atlanta, Fernbank and the High Museum | Plus a bonus deal… »

Save 40% on “Jitney” and “Blues In the Night”

If you missed the early bird special for tickets to see August Wilson’s “Jitney” at the Southwest Arts Centre and later the Alliance Theatre, don’t feel too bad. Here’s another discount that includes “Blues In the Night” put on by Theatrical Outfit. Get a package deal, saving at least 40 percent, by buying tickets to both productions for $40. The package can only be purchased online April 21-April 27. While you’ll make your purchase this week, you won’t actually reserve the dates and seats for the shows you want to see until April 28. “Blues In the Night” package deals are valid April 28 through May 16, and for “Jitney” shows at the Alliance and at the Southwest Arts Centre.

Free Carvel ice cream

It’s still a week away, but worth mentioning anyway. Carvel is offering free ice cream on Thursday, April 29. Customers can get a serving of Carvel’s new low-fat ice cream. You can also sample one of 12 new Flavor Shotz flavors as …

Continue reading Save 40% on “Jitney” & “Blues In The Night” | Free Carvel ice cream | Cinco de Mayo »