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Janine Dorsey - Free And Cheap Blog

Take Mom Out For A Good Time On Her Day



My youngest daughter was so cute last night. She said “Mom, what do you like to eat for breakfast on the weekends?”

Uh-oh. I could see where this was heading! I quickly thought up something she and her older sister could make that would be edible so I wouldn’t have to choke something down with a huge smile on my face. “Muffins!” I said. There are several mixes in the pantry and the steps to bake them are well within their level of cooking expertise.

Not satisfied with that answer she countered “You sure you don’t like omelets?”

“Oh no, besides, we don’t have any eggs in the fridge.” I replied.

“But we have Egg Beaters!” she answered.

Damn!

So, after my hearty breakfast I hope they have some plans that are more easily digestible for the rest of the day. Here are some hints I hope they get:

Mothers Get In Free at the Florida Aquarium

Mothers Ride Free At The Railroad Museum

Sunday Morning Bird Walk

Sunday Stroll at Weedon Island

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10 Under $10



Have you seen our new series “10 Under $10”?

We offer suggestions for dates, things to do with little kids, mother’s day gifts and activities in St. Pete. More will be coming.

Check it out at Stretch Your Dollar

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I Just Can’t Stop Saving Money, Apparently.



Here’s a movie my “friend” made me. Not sure if she is making fun of me or not. You be the judge.


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I’m Not A Coffee Drinker, But I AM A Donut Eater



Got this little goodie in my inbox:

Dunkin’ Donuts is making Tax Day a little more palatable for tax filers and coffee lovers by offering all customers a free donut with the purchase of any size cup of hot coffee on Tuesday, April 15 at participating restaurants nationwide including all Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando county locations.

Now, yours truly does not drink coffee. Never developed a taste for it I guess. But I know there’s alot of you out there that DO drink the stuff. Perhaps we can go together and you can give me YOUR donut? 

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It’s Not Easy (But It Sure Is Fun!) Being Green



Have a good time enjoying the great outdoors at the Earth Day Festival at Honeymoon Island. Admission is free (up to 8 people) with the $5 per car park fee.

There will be all sorts of “earth-friendly” activities to celebrate the day, like kayak races!

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Give Your Wallet A Break With Free and Cheap Spring Fun



Hillsborough County schools go on break this week. If you’re taking some time off to spend with your kids, but still hanging around looking for things to do, here’s some suggestions:

Saturday April 5

Guided Hike at Weedon Island

Sport Fest and April Pool’s Day

Sunday April 6

Free admission to the Museum of Fine Arts

Guided Nature Walk at Ft. Desoto Park

Monday April 7

Are you a teacher? Take a trip to Gatorlandfor free!

Check out the free resources of City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department.

Tuesday April 8

Get a free Jamba Juice smoothie for breakfast.

Check out a book or DVD from your neighborhood library.

Wednesday April 9

Browse the fresh market for bargains on local produce.

Been to the beach lately?

Thursday April 10

Wee Time At Weedon

Ride your bikes or Rollerblade on the Pinellas Trail.

Friday April 11

Visit a local treasure: Sunken Gardens is beautiful AND a bargain.

Get some culture with The Art Of Mayan Backstrap Weaving

Saturday April 12

Tarpon Springs Art Festival

Pet Adoption Expo

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Thatsa Nice-a Italian Ice-a!



Celebrate the first day of spring (that would be March 20) with a free Italian ice from Rita’s. Locations in the Bay area are limited, but perhaps there is one near you? 

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Wow! I’m Older Than A Zoo



In my inbox today: “Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo with discounted admission and special offers throughout the park in honor of the day the Zoo reopened its doors to the public in 1988!  Admission to the Zoo on March 5 will be “2 tickets for $20*” (ages 3 & up, 2 and under are always free) with $2 specials in food, gift and rides.  First 500 guests through the gate will receive a free commemorative t-shirt. “

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You Won’t Have To Hunt Free Easter Events If You Check This Blog



Check back for more Free or Cheap Easter Egg hunts as they get added. 

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Not Necessarily Fun, But Definetely Free



This weekend and next, Wal-Mart will be hosting Free Child ID Badges from the The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

We know you’re busy, but if you need a jumbo pack of toilet paper or some Slim Jims, why not stop at one of the Dale Mabry locations and get one for your kids?

I did it years ago for my daughters, when they were about 3 and 1. A little outdated now that they are 11 and 9, but adorable keepsakes!


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Free Event For Kids



Got this press release in my inbox, sounds like fun…

TAMPA, FL – February 27, 2008 – Cheerleaders, bands and local youth will fill the streets of downtown Tampa for a Bay Rally and parade of ball-bouncing on Saturday, April 5 to celebrate the beginning of the 2008 Women’s Final Four.  The NCAA® invites elementary and middle school-age children to Bounce by the Bay Fueled by POWERade® from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Registered participants will receive free T-shirts and basketballs at check-in from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the St. Pete Times Forum West Plaza.  The event tips off with the Bay Rally at 9:30 a.m. with bands and cheerleaders from the participating 2008 Women’s Final Four teams and local high school bands who will get the crowd jumping for the “Bounce” at 10 a.m.

Admission is free for Bounce by the Bay Fueled by POWERade; however, all interested participants will first need to register online at www.NCAAMarchMadness2008.com/womens.

Kids will bounce their way from the St. Pete Times Forum West Plaza to the Tampa Convention Center to enjoy complimentary admission to NCAA Hoop City® Refreshed by Coca-Cola® - the ultimate NCAA college-hoops experience. Parents and guardians are encouraged to accompany their children, but will be charged admission to Hoop City.

Tickets for Hoop City Refreshed by Coca-Cola can be purchased in advance at a reduced cost beginning March 1 through Ticketmaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com or at the Tampa Convention Center on the day of the event. Regular admission is $8 for adults; $6 for kids, military, seniors and students; other discounts are available.  For additional ticket information, go to http://www.hoop-city.com/womens.

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Have Breakfast On Me



Tomorrow is Friday and (sorry for the short notice!) Free Chicken Biscuit Day at Chik-Fil-A!!!

No soggy cereal for me.

Every customer gets one during breakfast hours, at participating locations. You may want to check that your neighborhood restaurant is one of the one’s on the wagon.

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Go On A Date With Your Pet



I heard on the radio recently that area Petco stores are having Valentine’s Day parties for their customers.

It sounds like something our spastic Jack Rusell Terrier Ashley would like. Especially the part about getting to decorate a “cookie.” There are also contests and giveaways.

It’s on February 9th at 2 p.m. , not on the actual holiday. So don’t miss out.

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Save A Few Dollars With These Holiday Activities



Please don’t look below and notice the date of my last post. I’m lame, I know.

But I am going to try and make it up to you with some seasonal suggestions. Maybe your new year’s resolution can be to forgive me?

  • Instead of driving all over creation trying to spy other neighborhood’s light displays, why not take a walk with your family right after it gets dark and enjoy your own few blocks?

  • Conversation lulls at your extended family gatherings got you down? Or are you hoping to diffuse a potentially volatile topic (ours was about nuns over Thanksgiving dinner, some people adore them, others think they’re less than nice) ? How about handing everyone a pad of paper and asking them to compose a holiday haiku to share? Read some fruitcake-themed ones to get you started. Even little kids can figure out the 5-7-5 syllable format.

  • Simple craft projects can also create some harmony among the masses. I like making gift tags for the following year’s packages out of this year’s holiday cards. All you need are scissors and a hole punch. Just make sure the back side of the image you are cutting out doesn’t already have writing on it. It’s a great way to recycle and be creative at the same time. 

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    Good For Them, Free For You



    They buried the lead in this Tampa Tribune story, as far as I am concerned: Library’s Web Safety Course Mandatory For Children.

    In it, readers of the paper are advised that children under 18 who are wanting to use the free internet access at any Hillsborough County libraries will be required to take a 20 minute internet safety course first.

    A great idea, in my book!

    My girls have a laptop computer that they share. But it is in the kitchen (a very public place in our home) and it is password protected so that they must get permission to use it for anything. Plus, I speak frankly with them about internet safety and use examples from the news to drive home the point that they simply do not know what creeps are out there lurking.

    They get it, they really do. But I still welcome another lesson from another source. We do not use the computers at the libraries, but I think a trip down there just for this purpose is in order…

    AND, did you read in the last paragraph about the freebies?!

    Everyone who completes the course gets some perks, including free tickets to Lowry Park Zoo, The Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science & Industry and free stuff at area Waffle House restaurants

    See you at the library! 

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