Archive for August, 2010

DragonCon and Chick-fil-A football discounts to the Georgia Aquarium

Don’t freak out when you see some strange characters parading through the streets of downtown Atlanta this weekend. Chances are they are taking part in the Dragon Con festivities. From 7 p.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, tickets to the Georgia Aquarium are discounted to $17. You have to click on the Dragon Con button on this Georgia Aquarium page to make the purchase. Tickets go up to $20 after Sept. 1.

The Chick-fil-A Kickoff football game rolls into town this weekend as well. On Friday evening, Aquarium tickets are $15 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., during Jazz Journeys. Click on the orange Jazz Journeys tab on this Georgia Aquarium page to purchase the tickets. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the Aquarium website.

Atlanta Braves tickets 50% off

The Atlanta Braves face the New York Mets this week and tickets are 50 percent off through Travelzoo.com. Ticket prices start at $6 for Upper Box seats or …

Continue reading 50% off Braves tickets | Aquarium discounts for DragonCon and Chick-fil-A fans | Free museum admission »

Today’s daily deal sites round-up. As always, read the fine print before making any deal site purchases.

Groupon.com: $25 for designer apparel and accessories at Fab’rik. Value: $60.

Groupon.com side deal: Deal starts at $15 for a haircut or Swedish Massage at Knockouts Haircuts for Men. Value: $50.

HalfOffDepot.com: $10 for food and drinks at Tin Roof Cantina. Value: $25.

Scoutmob.com: 50 percent off King of Pops handmade popsicles.

LivingSocial.com: $15 for pottery painting class and art supplies from Art & Soul. Value: $30.

MyDailyThread.com: $27 for consultation, exam, X-rays, muscle work and first adjustment at Health Choice Centers of Georgia. Value: $270.

Tippr.com: $40 for two hours of home cleaning from Time Used Wisely. Value: $110.

kgbdeals.com: $38 for eco-friendly Luxury Express package from Clear Mystique Luxury Cleaning Services. Value: $85.

Adilitydeal.com: $10.99 for three 50 percent off total food bill and eight buy one, get one free entrees at Bench Warmers …

Continue reading Daily deal sites round-up: 12 of metro Atlanta’s best deals »

With the soles of shoes worn thin and online job applications seemingly dropping into a vortex, job seekers are more frequently relying on their entrepreneural spirit.

Whether it’s side a business to supplement an income or a new venture sought after one too many “Thanks, but no thanks” letters, the idea of launching out on your own is striking a chord. It’s what prompted Gail Margolies Reid of Alpharetta to author “The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Low-Cost Startups.”

From personal trainers to obedience training, closet design to child care, Reid explains the risks, start-up costs, special requirements, equipment needs and more to get a business off the ground for $1,000 or less.

“These businesses are targeted,” said Reid, a featured speaker on Sunday during the AJC Decatur Book Festival. “It’s [for] someone who has lost a job and their unemployment has run out. For different reasons, they’ve become desperate and they have to hit the ground running and get a cash …

Continue reading 4 common mistakes made when starting your own business »

I am so very proud of myself.

Why? While I don’t exactly have a garden — it’s more like a bucket with a few plants in it — I have managed to grow a couple of bell peppers this summer. In fact, two more are coming in right now. I couldn’t be more pleased and thankful to my mother for leading me down this path.

I’m happy, too, because I know I won’t be going to the grocery store to buy peppers anytime soon. Yeah, me! Of course, all this produce production has me thinking about the fall, and what I should try my hand at next.

Carrots? Collard greens? I do know that it’s time to get busy.

I found a few tips on the Bargain Babe blog.

Fall veggies need the same as spring and summer veggies – good soil. To prepare add compost and fertilizer to make sure your plants have a chance to thrive. Healthy soil will help you grow robust, pest- and disease-free plants so you don’t spend your money buying insecticides. If your plants get swarmed, try cheap and natural methods to keep …

Continue reading Begin fall gardening to save money »

Daily deal site round-up: As always, read the fine print on each deal before purchasing. Know of a deal? Email rcash@ajc.com.

Groupon.com: $20 for Tuscan-style food and drinks at Taverna Fiorentina. Value: $45.

Groupon.com side deal: $7 for an individual day pass and gear at Ascension Climbing. Value: $15.

HalfOffDepot.com: $6.50 for ticket to Imagine It! The Children’s Museum. Value: $13.50.

LivingSocial.com: $5 for frozen yogurt treat at Yogli Mogli. Value: $10.

Scoutmob.com: 50 percent off at Quattro.

Tippr.com: 50 percent off technical support by Varna IT. Minimum of $100 must be spent on services.

kgbdeals.com: $38 for eco-friendly Luxury Express package from Clear Mystique Luxury Cleaning Services. Value: $85.

TheGreenHalf.com: $18 for food and drinks at Feast. Value: $40.

Adilitydeal.com: $10.99 for three 50 percent off total food bill and eight buy one, get one free entrees at Bench Warmers Sports Grill. Value: $200.

MyDailyThread.com: $27 for consultation, exam, …

Continue reading Daily deal sites round-up: 10 Atlanta deals in one place »

T.G.I. Friday’s coupon

It’s the weekend, so eating out is on the top of the list for a lot of folks. This coupon from T.G.I. Friday’s is one way to save. Buy one entree’ and the get a second for 50 percent off with this printable coupon. The coupon expires Sept. 1. It’s for dine-in only and cannot be applied to other specials or discounts.

Free small popcorn at Regal Cinemas

Some folks can’t pass on popcorn and other treats when they visit a movie theatre. If that’s you and you’re a fan of Regal Cinemas, you’ll like this deal, found on Cities on the Cheap. If you “Like” Regal Cinemas on Facebook, you’ll have access to a weekly coupon, including this week’s for a free small popcorn. The coupon can be used Aug. 27-29.

Free Frozen Yogurt

Frozen Yogurt is generating so much talk and excitement in Atlanta. I feel a little left out because I’ve yet to visit any of the new hot — or cool — spots. There’s another grand opening, this time at Menchie’s in the Toco Hills shopping plaza. …

Continue reading T.G.I. Friday’s coupon | Free popcorn at Regal | Discount tix for “Twist” | Free Menchie’s yogurt »

Win $20.

Now that I have your attention, here’s the deal. Wisebread.com is giving readers a chance to win $20 Amazon gift cards when readers submit their stories about budgeting.

What is it? Is it necessary? How do you do it? How far should budgeting go?

It means different things to different people. For some, budgeting is just about making sure you have enough at the end of the month to pay each bill. For others, there is a precise money-saving goal in mind. Some are strict adherents to their budgets. Others guesstimate.

Questions: What about you? What does budgeting mean to you, and how do you do it?

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Sure, you can (and should) respond here, but if you want to win some money, click here as well. The process you’ll find is simple:

1. Post your answer in the (Wisebread.com) comments below, or
2. Go to …

Continue reading What does budgeting mean to you? »

Now that scam artists are being run out of the mortgage industry, they’ve turned their attention to car loans, according to this MarketWatch report.

Financially strapped consumers blown over by super-high car payments are turned on by companies that advertise refinance options that will drop the payments by hundreds of dollars. While it is of course possible to refinance a vehicle, consumers need to be as cautious about these companies as they would with others touting themselves as instant credit-fixers, said the Better Business Bureau.

“Some companies may make it look like they are tossing out a life preserver, but they end up pulling many borrowers deeper underwater,” Steve Bernas, chief executive of the Better Business Bureau that serves Chicago and northern Illinois, told MarketWatch.

Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, or CARS, a non-profit auto-safety and consumer-advocacy group, advises consumers interested in refinancing car …

Continue reading Scam artists turn attention to car loans »

Charnell Griffin expected “a couple hundred” customers when she offered a discount through Groupon.com for the services of her three-and-half year-old company, Clean Corp.

What she got was more than she bargained for and frankly, more than she could handle.

Nearly 3,800 people pounced on the $35 deal for two-hours of house cleaning. Griffin was — and still is — overwhelmed as she tries to honor the vouchers before they expire in a year. In this case, it really was too much of a good thing.

“You just take it one day at a time and try not to lose your mind,” she said.

Merchants providing services have a far more difficult time meeting the demands brought on by the influx of customers who discover them through deal sites like Groupon and LivingSocial.com than those providing products.

Tracy Olson, owner of Helping Hands Massage Studio in Marietta, has had to hire another massage therapist, create a wait list and schedule weekend appointments three- to four weeks out …

Continue reading Groupon too much of a good thing for some local businesses »

UPDATE: The Travelzoo.com deal is still active, but the tickets through HalfOffAtlanta.com are sold out.

Circus discounts

When it comes to the circus, millions of fans — young and old — have an endless fascination with the animals in the show. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming to the Gwinnett Arena and tickets to the event are 50 percent off when you use this deal through Half Off Atlanta. The regularly-priced $26 tickets are $13 for shows on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 29. Arrive one hour early for the all-access pre-show that is free with your specially-priced ticket.

There’s another way to save as well, with this offer through Travelzoo.com. All tickets are 50 percent off, ranging from $7.50 to $27.50. A service fee will be added onto the price of each ticket.

Mall of Georgia coupons

These coupons for eateries at the Mall of Georgia expire Aug. 31, so if you’re hankering for a Cinnabon treat, lettuce wrap from P.F. …

Continue reading Target Free Family Fun Day at Woodruff | Circus discounts | Mall of Georgia coupons »